Yes, most likely, and that’s because higher income usually leads to higher consumption, and almost all consumption results in emissions. Individuals with higher incomes tend to live in larger homes, own additional properties, rely more on car transportation, and take more flights—all of which contribute to high emissions.
But, at the same time, most research in this area relies on household budget surveys that equate a Euro spent in one domain with a certain number of grams emitted from consumption in this domain. But households with higher incomes often pay more for abstract values such as location or status. This is sometimes referred to as “positional goods,” where wealthier households are also more likely to pay a premium for homes in desirable locations, buy expensive status cars, branded clothing, designer home furnishings etc. The emissions from such “luxurious” goods and services are often comparable to less exclusive alternatives, meaning wealthier households pay more for the same amount of emissions. This luxury factor contributes to making the relationship between income and emissions less strong, but there is a clear gap in the research here that we hope to fill.
About author:
David Andersson
Postdoc, Institutionen för rymd-, geo- och miljövetenskap. Chalmers, Göteborg
My research often focuses on households’ (un)sustainable consumption patterns and how they differ between groups. In my studies, I have examined factors influencing household greenhouse gas emissions, whether there is a link between well-being and greenhouse gas emissions, as well as how rebound effects vary across groups with regard to their assumed intentions.
I work on analyzing household consumption patterns. I run the company Svalna (www.svalna.se), which develops and provides technological solutions and platforms to help individuals and organizations measure and reduce their climate impact. Data from Svalna’s app is used in my own research as well as in that of others. I am also the founder of the card game Klimatkoll (www.kortspeletklimatkoll.se).
