Understanding the Impact of the Key Determinants of Change in Household Emissions in The European Union: Index Decomposition Analysis

Year 2024, , 113 - 144, 29.02.2024

Burcu Hiçyılmaz

https://doi.org/10.25229/beta.1368760

Abstract

Sectoral and household activities are the main drivers of greenhouse gas emissions caused by human activity. Still, household emissions are often overlooked and no concentrated effort is undertaken. However, in order to achieve global climate mitigation and the net zero target, household emissions must be reduced. This study intends to investigate the change in emissions caused by household activities in 27 countries of the European Union, which is a pioneer in emission reduction. In the study, the Log Mean Divisia Index (LMDI) approach is employed to analyse changes in household emissions, which are separated into four major impacts (emission intensity, energy intensity, consumption, and population). The findings show that in most EU-27 countries, emission intensity and energy intensity factors reduce emissions, whereas consumption effect and population effect factors increase emissions and negatively affect household emission reduction performance. In such a case, where final consumption by households per capita increases emissions, interventions focused at guiding consumer behaviour would be preferable. As a result, it is concluded that programmes encouraging sustainable consumption habits, providing incentives for access to low-carbon items, and other similar policies will be appropriate policy practises for EU-27 countries.

Keywords

Households, Greenhouse gas emissions, European Union, Index decomposition analysis, LMDI

Ethical Statement

Çalışmanın, etik kurul izni ve/veya yasal/özel izin gerektirmeyen bir çalışma olduğunu ve akademik etik kurallara uygun olarak yazıldığını beyan ederim

Avrupa Birliği’nde Hanehalkı Emisyonlarındaki Değişimin Temel Belirleyicilerinin Etkisini Anlamak: İndeks Ayrıştırma Analizi

Abstract

Sektörel faaliyetler ve hanehalkı faaliyetleri, insan faaliyetlerinden kaynaklanan sera gazı emisyonlarının ana etkenleridir. Yine de hanehalkı emisyonları sıklıkla göz ardı edilmekte ve uyumlu bir çaba gösterilememektedir. Ancak küresel iklim azaltımına ve net sıfır hedefine ulaşmak için hanehalkı emisyonlarının azaltılması gerekmektedir. Bu çalışmada emisyon azaltımında öncü olan Avrupa Birliği'ndeki 27 ülkede hanehalklarının faaliyetlerinden kaynaklanan emisyonlardaki değişimin incelenmesi amaçlanmıştır. Logaritmik Ortalama Divisia Endeksi (LMDI) yöntemi, çalışmada dört ana etkiye (emisyon yoğunluğu, enerji yoğunluğu, tüketim, nüfus) ayırılan hanehalkı emisyonlarındaki değişimi analiz etmek için kullanılmaktadır. Elde edilen bulgular, AB-27 ülkelerinin çoğunda, emisyon yoğunluğu ve enerji yoğunluğu faktörlerinin emisyonları azaltıcı etkide bulunduğunu, harcama etkisi ve nüfus etkisi faktörlerinin ise emisyonları artıran ve hanehalklarının emisyon azaltım performansını olumsuz etkileyen iki temel etken olduğunu göstermektedir. Hanehalkının kişi başına nihai tüketiminin emisyonları artırdığı böyle bir durumda, tüketici davranışını yönlendirmeye odaklanan müdahaleler tercih edilebilir. Sonuç olarak sürdürülebilir tüketim alışkanlıklarını teşvik eden, düşük karbonlu ürünlere erişimi teşvik eden programların ve benzeri politikaların AB-27 ülkeleri için uygun politika uygulamaları olacağı sonucuna varılmıştır.

Keywords

Hanehalkları, Sera gazı emisyonları, Avrupa Birliği, İndeks ayrıştırma analizi, LMDI

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