Oswald, Y, Owen, A orcid.org/0000-0002-3872-9900 and Steinberger, JK orcid.org/0000-0002-5925-9602 (2020) Large inequality in international and intranational energy footprints between income groups and across consumption categories. Nature Energy, 5. pp. 231-239. ISSN 2058-7546
Abstract
Inequality in energy consumption, both direct and indirect, affects the distribution of benefits that result from energy use. Detailed measures of this inequality are required to ensure an equitable and just energy transition. Here we calculate final energy footprints; that is, the energy embodied in goods and services across income classes in 86 countries, both highly industrialized and developing. We analyse the energy intensity of goods and services used by different income groups, as well as their income elasticity of demand. We find that inequality in the distribution of energy footprints varies across different goods and services. Energy-intensive goods tend to be more elastic, leading to higher energy footprints of high-income individuals. Our results consequently expose large inequality in international energy footprints: the consumption share of the bottom half of the population is less than 20% of final energy footprints, which in turn is less than what the top 5% consume.
Metadata
Item Type: | Article |
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Authors/Creators: |
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Copyright, Publisher and Additional Information: | © The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Limited 2020. This is an author produced version of a paper published in Nature Energy. Uploaded in accordance with the publisher's self-archiving policy. |
Dates: |
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Institution: | The University of Leeds |
Academic Units: | The University of Leeds > Faculty of Environment (Leeds) > School of Earth and Environment (Leeds) > Sustainability Research Institute (SRI) (Leeds) |
Funding Information: | Funder Grant number Leverhulme Trust RL-2016-048 Leverhulme Trust IAF-2018-018 EPSRC (Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council) EP/R005052/1 |
Depositing User: | Symplectic Publications |
Date Deposited: | 27 Jan 2020 11:10 |
Last Modified: | 16 Sep 2020 00:38 |
Status: | Published |
Publisher: | Springer Nature |
Identification Number: | 10.1038/s41560-020-0579-8 |
Open Archives Initiative ID (OAI ID): | oai:eprints.whiterose.ac.uk:156055 |
Commentary/Response Threads
- Oswald, Y, Owen, A and Steinberger, JK Large inequality in international and intranational energy footprints between income groups and across consumption categories. (deposited 27 Jan 2020 11:10) [Currently Displayed]