181
© The Author(s) 2016
R. Clift, A. Druckman (eds.), Taking Stock of Industrial Ecology,
DOI 10.1007/978-3-319-20571-7_9
Chapter 9
Understanding Households as Drivers
of Carbon Emissions
Angela Druckman and Tim Jackson
Abstract Households are accountable for nearly three quarters of global carbon
emissions and thus understanding the drivers of these emissions is important if we
are to make progress towards a low carbon future. This chapter starts by explaining
the importance of using an appropriate consumption perspective accounting framework for assessing the carbon footprint of households. This contrasts from the more
commonly used production perspective, as, for many Western countries in particular, once responsibility for emissions embedded in imported goods and services are
taken into account, consumption emissions are often higher than production
emissions.
The chapter then reviews fi ndings concerning the determinants and composition
of the carbon footprint of households, focusing on Western countries. One of the
main determinants is income, with carbon footprints increasing with increasing
incomes. However, other drivers, such as household size and composition, rural/
urban location, diet and type of energy supply, also play a part. Studies show that the
majority of an average carbon footprint arises from three domains: transportation,
housing and food. Further analyses aimed at gaining a deeper understanding of the
motivations behind the activities driving emissions, in particular those due to transportation and housing, show that recreation and leisure pursuits are responsible for
a substantial portion of average carbon footprints. Studies indicate, for example,
that activities such as spending time with friends and family in and around the
home, which are generally low carbon and also enhance well-being, should be
encouraged alongside the more mainstream strategies of improving systems of provision of energy, food, housing and transportation.
The fi nding that income is one of the principal drivers of carbon emissions is a
challenging and important issue to address, as, for instance, incomes are arguably
the driver of the rebound effect – a phenomenon that confounds attempts to reduce
carbon footprints, making reducing emissions more of an uphill task than often
acknowledged. This challenge leads us to a wider, whole-systems approach in
which we view households as an integral part of the system of production and
consumption.
A. Druckman (*) • T. Jackson
Centre for Environmental Strategy , University of Surrey , Guildford, Surrey GU2 7XH , UK
e-mail: a.druckman@surrey.ac.uk
© The Author(s) 2016
R. Clift, A. Druckman (eds.), Taking Stock of Industrial Ecology,
DOI 10.1007/978-3-319-20571-7_9
Chapter 9
Understanding Households as Drivers
of Carbon Emissions
Angela Druckman and Tim Jackson
Abstract Households are accountable for nearly three quarters of global carbon
emissions and thus understanding the drivers of these emissions is important if we
are to make progress towards a low carbon future. This chapter starts by explaining
the importance of using an appropriate consumption perspective accounting framework for assessing the carbon footprint of households. This contrasts from the more
commonly used production perspective, as, for many Western countries in particular, once responsibility for emissions embedded in imported goods and services are
taken into account, consumption emissions are often higher than production
emissions.
The chapter then reviews fi ndings concerning the determinants and composition
of the carbon footprint of households, focusing on Western countries. One of the
main determinants is income, with carbon footprints increasing with increasing
incomes. However, other drivers, such as household size and composition, rural/
urban location, diet and type of energy supply, also play a part. Studies show that the
majority of an average carbon footprint arises from three domains: transportation,
housing and food. Further analyses aimed at gaining a deeper understanding of the
motivations behind the activities driving emissions, in particular those due to transportation and housing, show that recreation and leisure pursuits are responsible for
a substantial portion of average carbon footprints. Studies indicate, for example,
that activities such as spending time with friends and family in and around the
home, which are generally low carbon and also enhance well-being, should be
encouraged alongside the more mainstream strategies of improving systems of provision of energy, food, housing and transportation.
The fi nding that income is one of the principal drivers of carbon emissions is a
challenging and important issue to address, as, for instance, incomes are arguably
the driver of the rebound effect – a phenomenon that confounds attempts to reduce
carbon footprints, making reducing emissions more of an uphill task than often
acknowledged. This challenge leads us to a wider, whole-systems approach in
which we view households as an integral part of the system of production and
consumption.
A. Druckman (*) • T. Jackson
Centre for Environmental Strategy , University of Surrey , Guildford, Surrey GU2 7XH , UK
e-mail: a.druckman@surrey.ac.uk