Abstract
This paper analyzes the impact of the fall in household consumption after an economic crisis in Spain on greenhouse gas emissions. To this end, household consumption is differentiated by the age of the main provider by using a conversion matrix that relates consumption groups to activity sectors. A multisectoral model was used to quantify and compare the environmental impact caused by the consumption of each age group, indicating that the older the age of the main household provider, the smaller the reduction in GHG emissions associated with their consumption. The results facilitate an analysis of how the greenhouse gas emissions of the different sectors of the Spanish economy, associated with the population under study, varied before and after the 2008 crisis, and confirm that the sectors with the greatest reduction in emissions were, in this order, extractive industries, construction, manufacturing industry, wholesale and retail trade and transport and storage. This is relevant for decision making in the field of environmental policies in crises, akin to the one the world is currently experiencing.
Highlights
IntroductionAccording to the European Environment Agency [1], the increase in spending on the consumption of goods and services in Europe caused an environmental impact on production and consumption on a global scale
The changes in household consumption patterns that occurred after the years of the economic crisis had an impact on the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions associated with this consumption
The total GHG emissions distributed for each productive sector and the disaggregation of private household consumption by age bracket is explained in the section on methodology
Summary
According to the European Environment Agency [1], the increase in spending on the consumption of goods and services in Europe caused an environmental impact on production and consumption on a global scale. It is necessary to modify consumption patterns and reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions through new production processes and greater innovation in technology to mitigate global warming. Among the main production sectors responsible for air pollution and GHG emissions is electricity, because when it is generated in thermal power plants, fossil fuels, such as coal, oil, or gas are burned. The gradual return of tourism and increase in air travel after the pandemic will once again contribute to global warming, as air transport demand is expected to triple in the period 2020–2050. The percentage of the world’s population that traveled by air was 11% in 2018, with a maximum of 4%
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