Carbon footprint of Brazilian families based on the Household Budget Survey and input-output analysis

Abstract

This study aims to comprehensively assess the carbon footprint of Brazilian households using data from the 2008 and 2018 Household Budget Survey (POF). Employing a hybrid Life Cycle Assessment methodology, our analysis reveals noteworthy insights. In 2008, households within the lower income bracket emitted approximately 4.04 tCO2e/year, decreasing to 3.81 tCO2e/year by 2018. Conversely, higher-income households emitted significantly more, with emissions of around 28.73 tCO2e/year in 2008, decreasing to 25.94 tCO2e/year by 2018 - almost seven times the emissions of their lower-income counterparts. Intriguingly, although constituting merely 2.47% of all families in 2018, the wealthiest households were responsible for 8.31% of total emissions, while the poorest, representing 24.25%, contributed to 11.97% of emissions. The imperative for affluent families, who exert a disproportionate environmental impact, lies in reconsidering consumption habits and actively seeking low-emission alternatives to curtail their carbon footprint.