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Modeling the Carbon Consequences of Pro-environmental Consumer Behavior

Duarte, Rose; Feng, Kuishuang; Hubacek, Klaus; Sánchez-Chóliz, Julio; Sarasa, Cristina; Sun, Laixiang

Authors

Rose Duarte

Kuishuang Feng

Klaus Hubacek

Julio Sánchez-Chóliz

Cristina Sarasa



Abstract

Households, as consumers of goods and services through their lifestyles and spending choices, drive environmental change. Using a recent (2008) social and environmental survey of Spanish households, we evaluate the effects of improvements in environmental awareness, and of changes induced by regulations and carbon taxes. We consider these drivers of behavioral change for different income levels. A range of scenarios including the adoption of energy efficient appliances, modal shift to public transport, healthier diets, and the associated carbon emissions and job effects, are estimated using a Computable General Equilibrium (CGE) model. Our results suggest that reductions in carbon dioxide, methane, and sulphur dioxide emissions may be compatible with increases in income and reductions in unemployment. Modal shift to public transport is shown as a successful economic and environmental policy.

Citation

Duarte, R., Feng, K., Hubacek, K., Sánchez-Chóliz, J., Sarasa, C., & Sun, L. (2016). Modeling the Carbon Consequences of Pro-environmental Consumer Behavior. Applied Energy, 184, 1207-1216. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apenergy.2015.09.101

Journal Article Type Article
Acceptance Date Sep 28, 2015
Online Publication Date Oct 20, 2015
Publication Date Dec 1, 2016
Deposit Date Oct 25, 2015
Journal Applied Energy
Print ISSN 0306-2619
Electronic ISSN 1872-9118
Publisher Elsevier
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 184
Pages 1207-1216
DOI https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apenergy.2015.09.101
Keywords environmental behavior, consumption patterns, emissions abatement; CGE model; rebound effect
Related Public URLs https://www.journals.elsevier.com/applied-energy/