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The Environmental Impacts of Consumption at a Subnational Level

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  • Andrea Collins
  • Andrew Flynn
  • Thomas Wiedmann
  • John Barrett

Abstract

This article analyzes the environmental effects of resource consumption at a subnational level (by Cardiff, the capital city of Wales), using the Ecological Footprint as a measure of impact assessment. The article begins by providing a short critique of the Footprint methodology and the limitations of methods traditionally used to calculate national Footprint accounts. We then describe the Footprint methodology developed by the Stockholm Environment Institute to overcome some of these problems and used as the basis of the Reducing Wales' Ecological Footprint project, of which the Cardiff study has been a part. The main portion of this article focuses on presenting and discussing the Footprint results for Cardiff. The Ecological Footprint of household consumption in Cardiff will be presented using the international Classification of Individual Consumption According to Purpose (COICOP). Based on the results, we found that the areas of consumption that are a priority for Cardiff in terms of reducing resource use are food and drink, passenger transport (car and aviation), domestic fuel consumption, waste, and tourism. We also discuss how these findings have been presented to the Cardiff Council. We report on the initial reactions of policy officers to the Footprint results and how the Council plans to use them to influence policy decisions relating to sustainability. Finally, in the Conclusions section, we briefly explain the value of applying the Ecological Footprint at a subnational level and its value as an evidence‐based tool for sustainability decision making.

Suggested Citation

  • Andrea Collins & Andrew Flynn & Thomas Wiedmann & John Barrett, 2006. "The Environmental Impacts of Consumption at a Subnational Level," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 10(3), pages 9-24, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:inecol:v:10:y:2006:i:3:p:9-24
    DOI: 10.1162/jiec.2006.10.3.9
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    Cited by:

    1. Wiedmann, Thomas, 2009. "A first empirical comparison of energy Footprints embodied in trade -- MRIO versus PLUM," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 68(7), pages 1975-1990, May.
    2. Claire A Dunlop, 2014. "The Possible Experts: How Epistemic Communities Negotiate Barriers to Knowledge Use in Ecosystems Services Policy," Environment and Planning C, , vol. 32(2), pages 208-228, April.
    3. Nicoletta Patrizi & Valentina Niccolucci & Riccardo M. Pulselli & Elena Neri & Simone Bastianoni, 2018. "The Ecological Footprint Accounting of Products: When Larger Is Not Worse," Resources, MDPI, vol. 7(4), pages 1-13, October.
    4. Linyu Xu & Hao Yin & Zhaoxue Li & Shun Li, 2014. "Land Ecological Security Evaluation of Guangzhou, China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 11(10), pages 1-22, October.
    5. Wang, Shuhong & Liu, Xintian & Chen, Xueli & Song, Malin, 2024. "An evaluative study of economic security from the perspective of land resource assets," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 139(C).
    6. Yosuke Shigetomi & Keisuke Nansai & Shigemi Kagawa & Susumu Tohno, 2016. "Influence of income difference on carbon and material footprints for critical metals: the case of Japanese households," Journal of Economic Structures, Springer;Pan-Pacific Association of Input-Output Studies (PAPAIOS), vol. 5(1), pages 1-19, December.
    7. Alexandra Lavers Westin & Leonardo Rosado & Yuliya Kalmykova & João Patrício, 2020. "Methods for Downscaling National Material Consumption Data to the Regional and Municipal Levels," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(20), pages 1-16, October.
    8. Thomas Wiedmann & John Barrett, 2010. "A Review of the Ecological Footprint Indicator—Perceptions and Methods," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 2(6), pages 1-49, June.

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