Planting seeds of change: a call to prioritize the greening of disadvantaged schools

Guyot, Madeleine [UCL] et al.

The living environment plays a critical role in overall well-being, particularly during childhood. The positive impact of green spaces on health has been widely demonstrated. Moreover, compelling evidence indicates that exposure to nature during childhood contributes to improve cognitive development and mental health. At the same time, socio-environmental inequalities present significant challenges within our societies. The most vulnerable population groups are often exposed to environments with limited green spaces. Furthermore, the undesirable and cumulative environmental exposures that children from low socio-economic backgrounds experience at home are also present in schools. In this scientific study, we explored the relationship between the average socioeconomic status of students at the same school location and the immediate green environment for all schools in the Federation Wallonia-Brussels (FW-B). Our primary hypothesis was that children from disadvantaged socioeconomic backgrounds are more likely to attend schools located in environments with limited vegetation coverage. We explored variations in this relationship across different contexts: landscape (rural, urban, and densely urban) and education levels (primary and secondary). We utilized the Socioeconomic Index (SEI) developed by the FW-B, which classifies schools based on various indicators measuring the socioeconomic status of their population. The green surrounding was described based on the school's address, using land use data with a spatial resolution of 2 meters. Our results indicated that disadvantaged schools tend to have fewer green spaces in their environment, even when accounting for different landscapes. The variability within different landscapes is noteworthy and is observed in various analyses. Analyzing this variability allows for more refined results. For instance, the case of Brussels demonstrates the most pronounced inequalities. This research highlights the significant socio-environmental inequalities experienced by students. By focusing on improving the school environment in disadvantaged schools, authorities can contribute to reducing the gap between socioeconomic groups, providing every student with access to a healthy environment. Indeed, there is evidence to suggest that contact with nature and green spaces may disproportionately benefit disadvantaged populations by mitigating the adverse effects of poverty, often referred to as the 'equigenic effect.' Therefore, there is potential for equigenic benefits in the schools within the study area. In other words, by implementing greening initiatives in these schools, socioeconomic health inequalities could be narrowed.