Noise as an Environmental Pressure Factor: Implications for Shaping Environmental Standards and Sustainable Environmental Management

Anthropogenic noise represents a significant form of environmental pollution, with consequences for both human health and ecosystem functioning. The aim of this study was to critically assess the adequacy of current environmental standards in light of the scale and nature of anthropogenic noise impacts on human health and ecosystem functioning, with particular emphasis on forested and protected areas. The methodology included a review of the scientific literature, an analysis of legal and institutional documents from the European Union and Poland, and a comparison with selected international approaches, in particular the practices of U.S. national parks, where the soundscape is regarded as an environmental resource requiring active protection. The review findings indicate that, in humans, exposure to noise is associated with, among other effects, an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, sleep disturbances, impaired cognitive functioning, and reduced psychological well-being, with nighttime noise being of particular significance. At the same time, numerous field and experimental studies demonstrate that, in many taxa, behavioral and physiological responses occur at levels lower than the thresholds applied to protect human health; ecologically significant effects have been reported at levels as low as approximately 40 dB, particularly in species dependent on acoustic communication. The analysis of existing regulations reveals the absence of operational standards and criteria for protected areas understood as natural habitats, which hinders the effective management of the acoustic climate. The proposed values of 40 dB for the nighttime period and 50 dB for the daytime period should be treated as indicative precautionary thresholds resulting from a qualitative synthesis of the literature and requiring empirical validation across different habitat types and geographical contexts. Their implementation may support the achievement of sustainable development objectives by simultaneously protecting human health, preserving biodiversity, and strengthening ecosystem resilience to anthropogenic pressures.