Happiness and footprints: assessing the relationship between individual well-being and carbon footprints
Abstract
This study investigates the nature of the empirical link between an individual’s well-being and their carbon footprint. It employs a novel approach matching data from the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia survey, to household expenditure and greenhouse gas-based carbon footprints. The carbon footprints are calculated using environmental factor multipliers from the detailed and globally integrated multi-regional input–output (MRIO) tables provided by the Eora MRIO database. The results indicate that higher carbon footprints are associated with marginally lower levels of well-being. This relationship appears ...
View more >This study investigates the nature of the empirical link between an individual’s well-being and their carbon footprint. It employs a novel approach matching data from the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia survey, to household expenditure and greenhouse gas-based carbon footprints. The carbon footprints are calculated using environmental factor multipliers from the detailed and globally integrated multi-regional input–output (MRIO) tables provided by the Eora MRIO database. The results indicate that higher carbon footprints are associated with marginally lower levels of well-being. This relationship appears to be linear. Furthermore, this relationship does not differ greatly for individuals across the well-being distribution. The findings of this study both: (1) add to the body of knowledge on the link between carbon footprints and well-being; and (2) provide policy makers with evidence and strategic guidance on the well-being implications of mitigating carbon footprints.
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View more >This study investigates the nature of the empirical link between an individual’s well-being and their carbon footprint. It employs a novel approach matching data from the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia survey, to household expenditure and greenhouse gas-based carbon footprints. The carbon footprints are calculated using environmental factor multipliers from the detailed and globally integrated multi-regional input–output (MRIO) tables provided by the Eora MRIO database. The results indicate that higher carbon footprints are associated with marginally lower levels of well-being. This relationship appears to be linear. Furthermore, this relationship does not differ greatly for individuals across the well-being distribution. The findings of this study both: (1) add to the body of knowledge on the link between carbon footprints and well-being; and (2) provide policy makers with evidence and strategic guidance on the well-being implications of mitigating carbon footprints.
View less >
Journal Title
Environment, Development and Sustainability
Note
This publication has been entered into Griffith Research Online as an Advanced Online Version.
Subject
Agriculture, land and farm management
Ecological economics
Human geography