Evolution of greenhouse gas emissions of Spanish households according to their income

Abstract

In this paper, an input–output model is carried out to quantify and compare the environmental impact caused by the consumption of Spanish households, differentiated by income levels. Our work focuses on emissions due to consumption by Spanish households and their variations over the decade 2005–2015. This period has been chosen because two important factors converge: during this decade there was a global economic crisis that affected consumer behaviour, and also during this decade measures were implemented to promote renewable energies and improve energy efficiency. An input–output model is used, differentiating households by income level, extended with Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions data. It is observed that the highest income households have reduced the least GHG emissions associated with their consumption in the period 2005–2010; in contrast, they have reduced them the most in the period 2010–2015. The results obtained allow us to analyse how the GHG emissions of the different sectors of the Spanish economy have varied, highlighting in the period 2005–2010 the fall in emissions in the Mining and quarrying and Electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply sectors; while in the period 2010–2015 the largest falls in emissions occurred in the Mining and quarrying and Construction sectors.