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Environmental Impacts of Consumption in the European Union:High‐Resolution Input‐Output Tables with Detailed Environmental Extensions

Author

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  • Gjalt Huppes
  • Arjan de Koning
  • Sangwon Suh
  • Reinout Heijungs
  • Lauran van Oers
  • Per Nielsen
  • Jeroen B. Guinée

Abstract

For developing product policy, insight into the environmental effects of products is required. But available life‐cycle assessment studies (LCAs) are hardly comparable between different products and do not cover total consumption. Input‐output analysis with environmental extensions (EEIOA) of full consumption is not available for the European Union. Available country studies have a low sector resolution and a limited number of environmental extensions. This study fills the gap between detailed LCA and low‐resolution EEIOA, specifying the environmental effects of household consumption in the European Union, discerning nearly 500 sectors, while specifying a large number of environmental extensions. Added to the production sectors are a number of consumption activities with direct emissions, such as automobile driving, cooking and heating, and a number of postconsumer waste management sectors. The data for Europe have been constructed by using the sparse available and coarse economic and environmental data on European countries and adding technological detail mainly based on data from the United States. A small number of products score high on environmental impact per Euro and also have a substantial share of overall consumer expenditure. Several meat and dairy products, household heating, and car driving thus have a large share of the total environmental impact. Due to their sales volume, however, products with a medium or low environmental score per Euro may also have a substantial impact. This is the case with bars and restaurants, clothing, residential construction, and even a service such as telecommunications. The limitations in real European data made heroic assumptions necessary to operationalize the model. One conclusion, therefore, is that provision of data in Europe urgently needs to be improved, at least to the level of sector detail currently available for the United States and Japan.

Suggested Citation

  • Gjalt Huppes & Arjan de Koning & Sangwon Suh & Reinout Heijungs & Lauran van Oers & Per Nielsen & Jeroen B. Guinée, 2006. "Environmental Impacts of Consumption in the European Union:High‐Resolution Input‐Output Tables with Detailed Environmental Extensions," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 10(3), pages 129-146, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:inecol:v:10:y:2006:i:3:p:129-146
    DOI: 10.1162/jiec.2006.10.3.129
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    Cited by:

    1. Meylan, Grégoire & Ami, Helen & Spoerri, Andy, 2014. "Transitions of municipal solid waste management. Part II: Hybrid life cycle assessment of Swiss glass-packaging disposal," Resources, Conservation & Recycling, Elsevier, vol. 86(C), pages 16-27.
    2. Egilmez, Gokhan & Kucukvar, Murat & Tatari, Omer & Bhutta, M. Khurrum S., 2014. "Supply chain sustainability assessment of the U.S. food manufacturing sectors: A life cycle-based frontier approach," Resources, Conservation & Recycling, Elsevier, vol. 82(C), pages 8-20.
    3. Kruse, Sylvia, 2021. "Akteure und ihre Beiträge zur großen Transformation in ausgewählten Handlungsfeldern. Transformation kommunaler Ernährungssysteme durch staatliche und nicht-staatliche Akteure," Forschungsberichte der ARL: Aufsätze, in: Hofmeister, Sabine & Warner, Barbara & Ott, Zora (ed.), Nachhaltige Raumentwicklung für die große Transformation - Herausforderungen, Barrieren und Perspektiven für Raumwissenschaften und Raumplanung, volume 15, pages 163-171, ARL – Akademie für Raumentwicklung in der Leibniz-Gemeinschaft.
    4. Qiao, Hongqiang & Kang, Yongwei & Yan, Jixuan & Zhang, Jia & Zheng, Zhiqin & Liang, Qiaoxia, 2023. "What role does trade expansion play in the natural resource sustainability of highly resource-consuming countries? Testing Moderating Role of Exports and Innovation," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 82(C).
    5. Liu, Lirong & Huang, Gordon & Baetz, Brian & Cheng, Guanhui & Pittendrigh, Scott M. & Pan, Siyue, 2020. "Input-output modeling analysis with a detailed disaggregation of energy sectors for climate change policy-making: A case study of Saskatchewan, Canada," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 151(C), pages 1307-1317.

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