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Embodied pollution in Spanish household consumption: a disaggregate analysis

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  • Jordi Roca
  • Monica Serrano

    (Universitat de Barcelona)

Abstract

In this paper we apply an environmentally extended input-output model to analyse a specific issue related to the Environmental Kuznets Curve hypothesis. The purpose is to study whether the consumption structure ofwealthier households has a positive effect on the reduction of environmental pressures. Combining information from different databases, we analysed the impact of the consumption of Spanish households in 2000 on atmospheric pollution. We considered nine gases: the six greenhouse gases (CO2, CH4, N2O, SF6, HFCs, and PFCs) and three other gases (SO2, NOx, and NH3). We classified households by quintiles of per capita expenditure and equivalent expenditure. We found that there was a positive and very high relationship between the level of expenditure and direct and indirect emissions generated by household consumption; however, the emission intensities tended to decrease with the expenditure level for the various atmospheric pollutants, with the exception of SF6, HFCs and PFCs.

Suggested Citation

  • Jordi Roca & Monica Serrano, 2008. "Embodied pollution in Spanish household consumption: a disaggregate analysis," Working Papers in Economics 204, Universitat de Barcelona. Espai de Recerca en Economia.
    • Handle: RePEc:bar:bedcje:2008204
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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • Q51 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Valuation of Environmental Effects
    • C67 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Mathematical Methods; Programming Models; Mathematical and Simulation Modeling - - - Input-Output Models

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