Inequality can double the energy required to secure universal decent living

Millward-Hopkins, Joel

doi:10.1038/s41467-022-32729-8

Cited by 45 publications

(22 citation statements)

References 57 publications

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“…Our estimates show that the hypothetical impacts from eradicating severe deprivations for about a third of the world population in 2018 amounted to the same impact currently caused by the wealthiest 1%. Our estimates of minimum needs and impacts align with other findings in the literature, for example, for energy 55 and climate 21,34 . Our estimates also differ from those reported elsewhere.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 86%

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Impacts of meeting minimum access on critical earth systems amidst the Great Inequality

et al. 2022

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The Sustainable Development Goals aim to improve access to resources and services, reduce environmental degradation, eradicate poverty and reduce inequality. However, the magnitude of the environmental burden that would arise from meeting the needs of the poorest is under debate—especially when compared to much larger burdens from the rich. We show that the ‘Great Acceleration’ of human impacts was characterized by a ‘Great Inequality’ in using and damaging the environment. We then operationalize ‘just access’ to minimum energy, water, food and infrastructure. We show that achieving just access in 2018, with existing inequalities, technologies and behaviours, would have produced 2–26% additional impacts on the Earth’s natural systems of climate, water, land and nutrients—thus further crossing planetary boundaries. These hypothetical impacts, caused by about a third of humanity, equalled those caused by the wealthiest 1–4%. Technological and behavioural changes thus far, while important, did not deliver just access within a stable Earth system. Achieving these goals therefore calls for a radical redistribution of resources.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 86%

“…Looking ahead, many have also argued that improvements in technology and behaviour will not eliminate the need for redistribution 17,21,55 . At the same time, redistribution will not eliminate the need for those other improvements.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Impacts of meeting minimum access on critical earth systems amidst the Great Inequality

et al. 2022

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“…Such an analysis is strongly implied if not rigorously argued here. As already mentioned, the carbon impacts of the lifestyles of the hyper-rich elite are disproportionately higher, and must be tackled if the lifestyles of the developing world are to be able to be sustainably borne within Net Zero targets (Millward-Hopkins, 2022).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Hyper-aeromobility: the drivers and dynamics of frequent flying

Cass

2022

Consumption and Society

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Flying is the most climate-impacting form of individual consumption. This article interrogates the drivers and dynamics behind ever-increasing amounts of air travel ascribable to a minority, whose flying contributes an ever-larger proportion of travel-related energy consumption and carbon emissions. Moving beyond established work on (increases in) flying, it establishes the need to focus transport emissions reduction efforts on this relatively small number of elite, hyper-aeromobile travellers. After outlining existing literature on different aspects of flying and frequent flying, which are combined in referring to hyper-aeromobility, the article reviews the many diverse explanations for its drivers and dynamics arising from different disciplinary traditions. Treating flying and frequent flying as ‘consumption behaviour’ has tended to focus on individualised behavioural explanations, but understanding and tackling rising hyper-aeromobility involves grasping expanding systems of provision, and social and cultural positive feedback loops involving socialisation, habituation and internationalisation of social practices. Understanding these requires a multidisciplinary approach analogous to the ‘needs satisfier escalator’ model relating to increasing car use which has been proposed by Brand-Correa et al (2020). The article then provides data from qualitative research on high-energy-consuming households to provide backing for the particular relevance and importance of a subset of more sociological and structural drivers as contributing to the expansion of aeromobility and its concentration in a hyper-aeromobile elite. It concludes that the current reliance on voluntary behaviour change and different forms of financial disincentives is ineffective, whereas more radical structural change, restrictions and impositions of quotas are increasingly necessary.

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“…10 More unequal societies can require as much as twice the energy consumption to secure decent living standards, compared with that needed in a more egalitarian set of circumstances. 11 It is also worth considering which types of activities or ways of spending one's income are most closely linked to happiness. Is it a weekend shopping trip across the Atlantic, or a walk in a nearby wood with friends?…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The good news is that those same societal conditions that underpin people’s wellbeing—higher quality public services and health coverage, as well as greater income equality—are able to do so with relatively low levels of energy use 10. More unequal societies can require as much as twice the energy consumption to secure decent living standards, compared with that needed in a more egalitarian set of circumstances 11…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Happiness that doesn’t cost the Earth

Capstick

2022

BMJ

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Capstick senior research fellowEveryone has a basic human need for a happy and fulfilling life. For many, this is becoming increasingly difficult to achieve during a period of economic upheaval and rising energy prices. With the climate crisis looming large and internationally agreed temperature limits looking precarious, it is imperative that we rapidly reduce emissions that threaten the wellbeing of people around the world. 1 This presents a dilemma: at both the policy and personal scales, wellbeing has conventionally been pursued through increasing income and greater consumption of goods and services; yet-leaving aside inflationary pressures to earn more in order to stand still-higher levels of income and consumption are themselves among the strongest drivers of greenhouse gas emissions. 2 3

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Inequality can double the energy required to secure universal decent living

Cited by 45 publications

References 57 publications

Impacts of meeting minimum access on critical earth systems amidst the Great Inequality

Impacts of meeting minimum access on critical earth systems amidst the Great Inequality

Hyper-aeromobility: the drivers and dynamics of frequent flying

Happiness that doesn’t cost the Earth

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