Beyond Carbon Footprint Calculators. New Approaches for Linking Consumer Behaviour and Climate Action

Abstract

This paper presents a carbon footprint (CF) observatory recently developed within our research group. It aims to introduce a new concept of CF accountability, which focused not just on measuring CF, but also on making users reflect about and eventually change their lifestyles to reduce their personal emissions. With this conception, the CO2web observatory includes not only a CF calculator, but also the CF of different alternative consumption scenarios. Therefore, the user may be more aware of the impact of different personal decisions, such as emissions linked to different food, cars, home appliances or pets. In addition, the CF calculator provides quantitative comparisons of the emissions linked to current habits of users with those of similar cohorts, along with specific advices for those consumption sectors where emissions are significantly higher than their cohort’s average.

Links between Climate Change Knowledge, Perception and Action: Impacts on Personal Carbon Footprint

“…This CO 2 observatory has three main interrelated blocks: the first section presents the scientific basis of CC, the concept of CF and its calculation; the second one compiles data on emissions associated with the main consumption and transport habits of citizens; the third one contains a CF calculator that computes personal emissions (in kg of CO 2 equivalent) for the main consumer categories: household energy, transport (car, train, bus, subway), clothing, food and drinks, and others (including tobacco consumption, computers and pets). All CF values are computed in CO 2 equivalent units (CO 2 e) and are based on standard life-cycle assessments, published in scientific sources, mostly peer-reviewed papers (see Burgui-Burgui and Chuvieco [35] for a full description of the CO 2 observatory and the associated CF calculator). Emission factors for the Spanish electrical system were taken from the annual average of 2018, provided by the Spanish regulator (https://www.ree.es/, accessed on 12 February 2019).…”

“…When interpreting our results, it should be noted that CF values were computed from a CF personal calculator, with all the strengths and limitations that this approach includes. On the positive side, the emission coefficients were estimated from updated scientific references and adapted to Spanish conditions [35]. On the negative side, quantitative estimations of CF require accurate inputs (energy bills, food amounts, transport distances), which are difficult to calculate and rely on the respondent to providing accurate data.…”

Urgensi Keamanan Pangan Rumah Tangga dalam Menghadapi Pandemi Covid-19

“…Kondisi pandemi COVID-19 ini mengakibatkan akses terhadap makanan akan diperparah dengan semakin memburuknya pandemi itu sendiri serta laranganlarangan perpindahan penduduk yang mengikutinya. Hal ini juga sesuai dengan dengan (Burgui-Burgui & Chuvieco, 2020), yang menyatakan bahwa wabah suatu penyakit yang terjadi di dunia akan meningkatkan jumlah penduduk yang mengalami kelaparan dan malnutrisi. Kondisi tersebut disebabkan oleh kualitas gizi yang kurang mengingat jumlah pasokan pangan yang terbatas.…”

Sustainable Consumption in the Baltic States: The Carbon Footprint in the Household Sector

“…Scholars evaluating the impact of consumption in the household sector usually used the footprints' indicators [6,51,52]. The carbon footprint is mostly used, whereas it could reveal both the tendencies of sustainable consumption and achievement of the climate change policy targets [53][54][55][56][57]. In recent years, this indicator was used in various countries or country groups e.g., the United States [58,59], Norway [60,61], China [62][63][64][65][66][67], Japan [68,69], Nordic countries [70], and also separate European Union countries [71][72][73][74][75].…”