One Tonne Life? Greenhouse gas mitigation in a household perspective - a system approach
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Typ
Examensarbete för masterexamen
Master Thesis
Master Thesis
Program
Publicerad
2011
Författare
Björk, Anna E
Modellbyggare
Tidskriftstitel
ISSN
Volymtitel
Utgivare
Sammanfattning
The concentration of greenhouse gases (GHG) in the atmosphere has increased due to anthropogenic activities and as a result the global mean temperature has risen. To mitigate the impact on the Earth the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change has agreed that the global mean temperature should not increase more than by two degrees Celsius. Taken into account the anticipated population increase this gives the average people a CO2-eq ―budget‖ of one ton per capita per year. The emissions from the average Swedish consumer are at present 8-10 ton CO2-eq per person per year. To examine if it is possible to live in present society only emitting one ton of GHGs per person per year, the Swedish companies Vattenfall, Volvo and A-hus started the project One Tonne Life (OTL). The project was performed by letting a Swedish family live in an energy efficient house for 20 weeks using the energy efficient technology. This thesis has used data from the OTL project to analyze the measures connected to the mitigation of GHGs from a household perspective. One part of the emissions from the household consumption is difficult for the consumer to influence because they depend on the energy system. To consider these aspects the study has extended the scope to illustrate the GHG emissions caused by the family in the future by a transformed energy and food system. The purpose of the study is to describe the GHG emissions caused by the family’s consumption for the present and a future system. During the 20 project weeks the family reduced their GHG emissions from 8.1 ton to 3.1 ton CO2-eq per person per year, with both private and public consumption included. The largest reduction was reached within the transportation category, which was reduced by 95 percent. The mitigated emissions from the family’s consumption were a result of using energy efficient technology as well as changed lifestyle. In the future scenario the emissions caused by the family could be reduced to 0.6 ton CO2-eq per person per year. In order to reach a one ton lifestyle the results from this study indicates that an energy system based on low carbon emitting energy sources as well as technical and lifestyle changes will be necessary.
Beskrivning
Ämne/nyckelord
Energi , Hållbar utveckling , Innovation och entreprenörskap (nyttiggörande) , Building Futures , Transport , Teknik och social förändring , Energy , Sustainable Development , Innovation & Entrepreneurship , Building Futures , Transport , Technology and social change