182
In summary, industrial ecology, with its wide ranging systems approach as shown
in this chapter, has a great deal to contribute to the quest to devise strategies to move
towards lower carbon, fulfi lling lifestyles.
Keywords Carbon footprint • Consumption-based accounting • Environmental
input-output analysis • Household carbon-footprint • Personal carbon-footprint •
Rebound effect • Time use • Work-time reductions
1 Introduction
Adam Smith stated that “consumption is the sole end and purpose of all production”
(Smith 1904 ) thus putting consumption fi rmly in the fi eld of industrial ecology. In
this chapter we specifi cally focus on the carbon emissions caused by household
consumption, as these have been estimated to be accountable for around 72 % of
carbon emissions on a global basis (Hertwich and Peters 2009 ; Wilson et al. 2013 ).
Thus the study of households
1 and how the environmental impacts for which they
are responsible may be reduced is key to achieving a low carbon future.
Accordingly, in this chapter, we fi rst examine the accounting perspective required
to scrutinise the carbon emissions for which household consumption is responsible
(Sect. 2 ). Section 3 reviews the evidence concerning the determinants of household
carbon missions. In Sect. 4 , we introduce the ‘rebound effect’ – a phenomenon that
confounds attempts to reduce carbon footprints, making reducing emissions more
of an uphill task than often acknowledged. In the fi nal section (Sect. 5 ), we broaden
the focus to look at households in the wider context of systems of production and
consumption, and possibilities of win-win solutions that offer potential to reduce
carbon while at the same time enhancing well-being.
Household consumption is a wide ranging topic and inevitably there are many
limitations to this chapter. One of these is that we focus here on consumption by
Western households. A second is that we do not review the prolifi c literature on the
driving forces behind household consumption or the ways that household consumption may be reduced.
2 And a third limitation is our focus on ‘carbon’ emissions.
However carbon is defi ned (see Sect. 2 ), use of carbon emissions as a single indicator can lead to policies that, while benefi cial in terms of reducing global warming,
may lead to unexpected and unintended detrimental consequences in terms of other
environmental impacts. For example, Benders et al. ( 2012 ) analysed fi ve environmental impact categories: global warming potential, acidifi cation, eutrophication,
1 We focus here on household carbon footprints as much of the consumption that gives rise to carbon emissions, such as energy use for space heating, arises at a household level. Estimation of per
capita (personal) carbon footprints requires division by the number of people in a household with
appropriate apportioning to children. Apportioning to children is generally done using equivalence
scales (OECD 2015 ).
2 For an overview of these literatures see Jackson ( 2005 , 2006 , 2009 ).
A. Druckman and T. Jackson
In summary, industrial ecology, with its wide ranging systems approach as shown
in this chapter, has a great deal to contribute to the quest to devise strategies to move
towards lower carbon, fulfi lling lifestyles.
Keywords Carbon footprint • Consumption-based accounting • Environmental
input-output analysis • Household carbon-footprint • Personal carbon-footprint •
Rebound effect • Time use • Work-time reductions
1 Introduction
Adam Smith stated that “consumption is the sole end and purpose of all production”
(Smith 1904 ) thus putting consumption fi rmly in the fi eld of industrial ecology. In
this chapter we specifi cally focus on the carbon emissions caused by household
consumption, as these have been estimated to be accountable for around 72 % of
carbon emissions on a global basis (Hertwich and Peters 2009 ; Wilson et al. 2013 ).
Thus the study of households
1 and how the environmental impacts for which they
are responsible may be reduced is key to achieving a low carbon future.
Accordingly, in this chapter, we fi rst examine the accounting perspective required
to scrutinise the carbon emissions for which household consumption is responsible
(Sect. 2 ). Section 3 reviews the evidence concerning the determinants of household
carbon missions. In Sect. 4 , we introduce the ‘rebound effect’ – a phenomenon that
confounds attempts to reduce carbon footprints, making reducing emissions more
of an uphill task than often acknowledged. In the fi nal section (Sect. 5 ), we broaden
the focus to look at households in the wider context of systems of production and
consumption, and possibilities of win-win solutions that offer potential to reduce
carbon while at the same time enhancing well-being.
Household consumption is a wide ranging topic and inevitably there are many
limitations to this chapter. One of these is that we focus here on consumption by
Western households. A second is that we do not review the prolifi c literature on the
driving forces behind household consumption or the ways that household consumption may be reduced.
2 And a third limitation is our focus on ‘carbon’ emissions.
However carbon is defi ned (see Sect. 2 ), use of carbon emissions as a single indicator can lead to policies that, while benefi cial in terms of reducing global warming,
may lead to unexpected and unintended detrimental consequences in terms of other
environmental impacts. For example, Benders et al. ( 2012 ) analysed fi ve environmental impact categories: global warming potential, acidifi cation, eutrophication,
1 We focus here on household carbon footprints as much of the consumption that gives rise to carbon emissions, such as energy use for space heating, arises at a household level. Estimation of per
capita (personal) carbon footprints requires division by the number of people in a household with
appropriate apportioning to children. Apportioning to children is generally done using equivalence
scales (OECD 2015 ).
2 For an overview of these literatures see Jackson ( 2005 , 2006 , 2009 ).
A. Druckman and T. Jackson