Satisfaction with the Living Environment in Indonesia: Social Class, Adverse Environmental Conditions, and Regional Development

This study examines how environmental satisfaction in Indonesia is influenced by social class, exposure to adverse environmental conditions, and regional economic context. It uses multilevel ordered logistic regression on data from the 2021 Happiness Measurement Survey (SPTK) to examine satisfaction as a subjective outcome shaped by material conditions and class-based perceptions of environmental inequality. Findings reveal a clear stratification in environmental satisfaction: individuals in the upper and upper-middle classes report significantly higher satisfaction than those in the lower classes, reflecting unequal access to environmental amenities. In contrast, direct exposure to environmental burdens—including poor water quality, polluted air, and natural disasters—is strongly associated with lower satisfaction. Among these, adverse water conditions exhibit the most substantial negative impact. The analysis reveals that provincial economic conditions—measured by Gross Regional Domestic Product (GRDP) per capita—moderate the association between social class and environmental satisfaction. In more affluent provinces, the advantage typically observed among higher social classes is less pronounced, suggesting that regional economic development may play a role in mitigating class-based disparities. This pattern highlights the importance of addressing social and geographic inequalities in environmental policy, emphasizing ensuring that development gains are shared more equitably across different segments of Indonesia’s population.