The unequal distribution of household carbon footprints in Europe and its link to sustainability
Open accessAbstract
Non-technical summary: The distribution of household carbon footprints is largely unequal within and across countries. Here, we explore household-level consumption data to illustrate the distribution of carbon footprints and consumption within 26 European Union countries, regions and social groups. The analysis further sheds light on the relationships between carbon footprints and socially desirable outcomes such as income, equality, education, nutrition, sanitation, employment and adequate living conditions.
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The consumption of the wealthiest 10% of the world's population is estimated to account for 36-45% of all GHG emissions and an even higher share of energy and industrial CO2 emissions.
“the consumption of the wealthiest 10% of the world's population is estimated to account for 36-45% of all GHG emissions and an even higher share of energy and industrial CO2 emissions (25-27).”
From Carbon Leakage, Consumption, and Trade (2022) · cites this paper as [25]
Rich households have higher carbon footprints than poor households.
“Rich households have higher carbon footprints than poor households; the consumption of the wealthiest 10% of the world's population is estimated to account for 36-45% of all GHG emissions and an even higher share of energy and industrial CO2 emissions (25-27).”
From Carbon Leakage, Consumption, and Trade (2022) · cites this paper as [25]
The challenge of tackling embodied emissions in trade is confronted with various temporal and spatial inequities.
“The challenge of tackling embodied emissions in trade is confronted with various temporal and spatial inequities (see Section 2.3) (14, 25, 145-150).”
From Carbon Leakage, Consumption, and Trade (2022) · cites this paper as [25]
Cites
Carbon lock-in: types, causes, and policy implications
Seto, K. C., Davis, S. J., Mitchell, R. B., Stokes, E. C., Unruh, G., & Ürge-Vorsatz, D. (2016) · Annual Review of Environment and Resources · doi:10.1146/annurev-environ-110615-085934 · Cited by 1,346 · see citing works
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Carbon Leakage, Consumption, and Trade
Grubb, M., Jordan, N. D., Hertwich, E., Neuhoff, K., Das, K., Bandyopadhyay, K. R., van Asselt, H., Sato, M., Wang, R., Pizer, W. A., et al. (2022) · Annual Review of Environment and Resources · doi:10.1146/annurev-environ-120820-053625 · Cited by 176 · see citing works
Keeping the global consumption within the planetary boundaries
Tian, P., Zhong, H., Chen, X., Feng, K., Sun, L., Zhang, N., Shao, X., Liu, Y., & Hubacek, K. (2024) · Nature · doi:10.1038/s41586-024-08154-w · Cited by 142 · see citing works
Emissions savings from equitable energy demand reduction
Büchs, M., Cass, N., Mullen, C., Lucas, K., & Ivanova, D. (2023) · Nature Energy · doi:10.1038/s41560-023-01283-y · Cited by 87 · see citing works
Self-citation
- Authors
- Ivanova, D., & Wood, R.
- Affiliations
- University of Leeds (GB)
- Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NO)
- Corresponding author
- Ivanova, Diana
- Venue
- Global Sustainability
- Publisher
- Cambridge University Press (CUP)
- Published
- 2020
- Volume
- 3
- ISSN
- 2059-4798 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W3038856246
- Cited by
- 258
- References
- 1
- Citations by year
- 2026: 41 · 2025: 54 · 2024: 39 · 2023: 43 · 2022: 45 · 2021: 31 · 2020: 5
- FWCI
- 11.14
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- gold
- doi.org
- Locations
- Global Sustainability (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- White Rose Research Online (University of Leeds, The University of Sheffield, University of York) (acceptedVersion)
- DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion)
- NORA - Norwegian Open Research Archives (submittedVersion, cc-by)
- Funders
- Norges Teknisk-Naturvitenskapelige Universitet
- UK Research and Innovation (EP/R035288/, EP/R035288/1)
- University of Cambridge
- Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EP/R035288/1)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Environmental Engineering › Environmental Impact and Sustainability
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Management, Monitoring, Policy and Law › Sustainable Development and Environmental Policy
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Ecology › Agriculture Sustainability and Environmental Impact
- Keywords
- household carbon footprint, inequality, household consumption, European Union, social inequality, sustainability, income, nutrition, sanitation, employment, living conditions
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