Quantifying the energy and emissions implications of sustainable consumption corridors
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Abstract
Eliminating levels of inequality to ensure decent living standards alongside climate mitigation, are frequently posited as dual goals of a just transition. Energy sufficiency has received attention in the literature as a solution to these dual crises, but there has been limited exploration of the impact sufficiency principles could have on the energy and GHG emissions.
Addressing this gap, we utilise a consumption-corridor approach to develop three redistributive scenarios of final consumption for the UK. Each scenario ensures that all households meet essential needs and facilitates social participation, whilst varying the change for those already consuming above this level. These scenarios are modelled utilising the UK Multi-Regional Input Output model and estimate the impact of redistribution on the consumption-based energy and emissions footprints of 13 different household-types. We find that reductions in the inequality of consumption can support the reduction of GHG emissions and energy use, however, this is only possible if the consumption of higher consumers is limited to nearly complete equality in expenditure.
We also find significant shifts in the composition of consumption resulting from this redistribution that may be supportive of climate change mitigation in the future, such as significant reduction of car use and flying particularly in scenarios where higher levels of household consumption are reduced. We conclude that there is a need to integrate economic inequality into climate mitigation modelling processes, to develop solutions, policies, and interventions.
Biography
Samuel Betts-Davis is studying for a PhD in ecological economics investigating the relationships between sufficiency, inequality reduction and low energy demand futures in the UK.
His PhD research has included exploring the role of inequality reduction within economic narratives of climate change, the quantification of sustainable consumption corridors in the UK and their implications for the redistribution of consumption, and the disaggregation of energy service demands implied by low energy demand scenarios to income deciles groups, to understand the distribution of activity level demand reductions implied by low energy futures.He is also working as a researcher as part of the Priestley Centre for Climate Futures’ Climate Evidence Unit, which seeks to provide independent evidence to inform decisionmakers in the delivery of a climate resilient, decarbonised future.
Previously Betts-Davies has worked as a research assistant in the Centre for Research in Energy Demand Solutions (CREDS) in the Sustainability Research Institute at the University of Leeds, contributing to the Positive Low Energy Futures project, and resource efficiency scenario modelling using Input/Output modelling. He holds a BA (Hons) in Philosophy, Politics and Economics, and an MSc in Climate Change and Environmental Policy, both from the University of Leeds.