Journal article

Authors list: Nielsen, Kristian S.; Bauer, Jan M.; Debnath, Ramit; Emogor, Charles A.; Geiger, Sonja M.; Ghai, Sakshi; Gwozdz, Wencke; Hahnel, Ulf J. J.

Publication year: 2024

Pages: 1136-1143

Journal: Nature Climate Change

Volume number: 14

ISSN: 1758-678X

eISSN: 1758-6798

Open access status: Hybrid

DOI Link: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41558-024-02130-y

Publisher: Nature Research

Abstract: 
Extensive research highlights global and within-country inequality in personal carbon footprints. However, the extent to which people are aware of these inequalities remains unclear. Here we use an online survey distributed across four diverse countries: Denmark, India, Nigeria and the USA, to show widespread underestimation of carbon footprint inequality, irrespective of participants' country and income segment. Of the 4,003 participants, within each country, 50% of participants were sampled from the top 10% income group. Our results show links between carbon footprint inequality perceptions and climate policy support, but with significant variations observed across the four countries and with participants' income segments. Furthermore, there are links to the perceived fairness of actual carbon footprint inequality, highlighting the need to raise awareness about carbon footprint inequality and further unpack its implications for climate justice and policy.

Harvard Citation style: Nielsen, K., Bauer, J., Debnath, R., Emogor, C., Geiger, S., Ghai, S., et al. (2024) Underestimation of personal carbon footprint inequality in four diverse countries, Nature Climate Change, 14, pp. 1136-1143. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41558-024-02130-y

APA Citation style: Nielsen, K., Bauer, J., Debnath, R., Emogor, C., Geiger, S., Ghai, S., Gwozdz, W., & Hahnel, U. (2024). Underestimation of personal carbon footprint inequality in four diverse countries. Nature Climate Change. 14, 1136-1143. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41558-024-02130-y