The Influence of Consumer Behavior on Climate Change: The Case of Switzerland
Reducing material flows and their associated environmental impacts substantially contributes to moving toward a more sustainable society. Both individual consumption behavior and governmental regulations play a crucial role in reaching sustainability goals. In this article, we present a Material Flo...
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doaj-2e0d729b58b54b80a0737701fd6ee5952021-03-10T00:02:13ZengMDPI AGSustainability2071-10502021-03-01132966296610.3390/su13052966The Influence of Consumer Behavior on Climate Change: The Case of SwitzerlandCecilia Matasci0Marcel Gauch1Heinz Böni2Patrick Wäger3Empa, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, Technology and Society Laboratory, Lerchenfeldstrasse 5, CH-9014 St. Gallen, SwitzerlandEmpa, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, Technology and Society Laboratory, Lerchenfeldstrasse 5, CH-9014 St. Gallen, SwitzerlandEmpa, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, Technology and Society Laboratory, Lerchenfeldstrasse 5, CH-9014 St. Gallen, SwitzerlandEmpa, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, Technology and Society Laboratory, Lerchenfeldstrasse 5, CH-9014 St. Gallen, SwitzerlandReducing material flows and their associated environmental impacts substantially contributes to moving toward a more sustainable society. Both individual consumption behavior and governmental regulations play a crucial role in reaching sustainability goals. In this article, we present a Material Flow Analysis combined with a simplified Life Cycle Assessment of the Swiss economy. Results were linked to an analysis of consumption patterns. This allowed us to evaluate the direct influence of consumer behavior on national greenhouse gas emissions using a consumption-based approach and the quantification of the range of these emissions from different lifestyles. We conclude that the consumer has a direct influence on slightly more than 50% of the greenhouse gas emissions generated by the Domestic Material Consumption. If everybody were to behave like the 20% of the population with the most climate-friendly behavior, emissions would decrease by merely 16%. Cooperation between stakeholders at all levels of society is therefore needed. This study provides a contribution to decreasing material and energy consumption and defining possible future pathways with the final aim to bring anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions down to zero in Switzerland.https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/13/5/2966Material Flow AnalysisLife Cycle Assessmentclimate changeDomestic Material Consumptionsustainable developmentconsumer behavior |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Cecilia Matasci Marcel Gauch Heinz Böni Patrick Wäger |
spellingShingle |
Cecilia Matasci Marcel Gauch Heinz Böni Patrick Wäger The Influence of Consumer Behavior on Climate Change: The Case of Switzerland Sustainability Material Flow Analysis Life Cycle Assessment climate change Domestic Material Consumption sustainable development consumer behavior |
author_facet |
Cecilia Matasci Marcel Gauch Heinz Böni Patrick Wäger |
author_sort |
Cecilia Matasci |
title |
The Influence of Consumer Behavior on Climate Change: The Case of Switzerland |
title_short |
The Influence of Consumer Behavior on Climate Change: The Case of Switzerland |
title_full |
The Influence of Consumer Behavior on Climate Change: The Case of Switzerland |
title_fullStr |
The Influence of Consumer Behavior on Climate Change: The Case of Switzerland |
title_full_unstemmed |
The Influence of Consumer Behavior on Climate Change: The Case of Switzerland |
title_sort |
influence of consumer behavior on climate change: the case of switzerland |
publisher |
MDPI AG |
series |
Sustainability |
issn |
2071-1050 |
publishDate |
2021-03-01 |
description |
Reducing material flows and their associated environmental impacts substantially contributes to moving toward a more sustainable society. Both individual consumption behavior and governmental regulations play a crucial role in reaching sustainability goals. In this article, we present a Material Flow Analysis combined with a simplified Life Cycle Assessment of the Swiss economy. Results were linked to an analysis of consumption patterns. This allowed us to evaluate the direct influence of consumer behavior on national greenhouse gas emissions using a consumption-based approach and the quantification of the range of these emissions from different lifestyles. We conclude that the consumer has a direct influence on slightly more than 50% of the greenhouse gas emissions generated by the Domestic Material Consumption. If everybody were to behave like the 20% of the population with the most climate-friendly behavior, emissions would decrease by merely 16%. Cooperation between stakeholders at all levels of society is therefore needed. This study provides a contribution to decreasing material and energy consumption and defining possible future pathways with the final aim to bring anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions down to zero in Switzerland. |
topic |
Material Flow Analysis Life Cycle Assessment climate change Domestic Material Consumption sustainable development consumer behavior |
url |
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/13/5/2966 |
work_keys_str_mv |
AT ceciliamatasci theinfluenceofconsumerbehavioronclimatechangethecaseofswitzerland AT marcelgauch theinfluenceofconsumerbehavioronclimatechangethecaseofswitzerland AT heinzboni theinfluenceofconsumerbehavioronclimatechangethecaseofswitzerland AT patrickwager theinfluenceofconsumerbehavioronclimatechangethecaseofswitzerland AT ceciliamatasci influenceofconsumerbehavioronclimatechangethecaseofswitzerland AT marcelgauch influenceofconsumerbehavioronclimatechangethecaseofswitzerland AT heinzboni influenceofconsumerbehavioronclimatechangethecaseofswitzerland AT patrickwager influenceofconsumerbehavioronclimatechangethecaseofswitzerland |
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