Betts-Davies Sam, Owen Anne, Barrett John, Brockway Paul, Norman Jonathan
Sustainability Research Institute, School of Earth and Environment, University of Leeds, Woodhouse Lane, Leeds, LS2 9JT, UK.
Energy Demand Research Centre, Jubilee Building, University of Sussex Business School, University of Sussex, Falmer, Brighton, BN1 9SL, UK.
Sci Rep. 2025 May 12;15(1):16499. doi: 10.1038/s41598-025-01495-0.
Reducing inequality to ensure decent living standards alongside climate mitigation, are frequently posited as dual goals of a just transition. Energy sufficiency has received attention as a solution to these crises, but there has been limited exploration of the impact sufficiency principles could have on energy and GHG emissions. Addressing this gap, we utilise a consumption-corridor approach to develop three redistributive scenarios of final consumption for the UK. Each scenario ensures all households meet essential needs and facilitates social participation, whilst varying the level of consumption redistribution. These scenarios are modelled using the UK Multi-Regional Input Output model to estimate the impact of redistribution on the consumption-based energy and emissions footprints of 13 household types. We find that reductions in consumption inequality can support reductions in GHG emissions and energy use, but only if the consumption of higher-income consumers is limited to near equality in expenditure. We also find significant shifts in the composition of consumption resulting from redistribution that may support climate mitigation, such as reduced car use and flying, particularly in scenarios where higher household consumption is curtailed. We conclude that economic inequality must be integrated into climate mitigation modelling to develop effective solutions.
减少不平等以确保在减缓气候变化的同时实现体面的生活水平，这经常被视为公正转型的双重目标。能源充足作为解决这些危机的方案已受到关注，但对于充足原则可能对能源和温室气体排放产生的影响，人们的探索还很有限。为填补这一空白，我们采用消费走廊方法为英国制定了三种最终消费的再分配情景。每种情景都确保所有家庭满足基本需求并促进社会参与，同时改变消费再分配的程度。这些情景通过英国多区域投入产出模型进行模拟，以估计再分配对13种家庭类型基于消费的能源和排放足迹的影响。我们发现，减少消费不平等可以支持减少温室气体排放和能源使用，但前提是高收入消费者的消费在支出方面被限制在接近平等的水平。我们还发现，再分配导致消费构成发生重大变化，这可能有助于减缓气候变化，比如减少汽车使用和飞行，特别是在高家庭消费受到限制的情景中。我们得出结论，必须将经济不平等纳入减缓气候变化的模型中，以制定有效的解决方案。
