The sharing economy and sustainability – assessing Airbnb’s direct, indirect and induced carbon footprint in Sydney

Abstract

A peer-to-peer sharing approach for the accommodation sector such as Airbnb has been suggested as a more environmental sustainable alternative to conventional forms of accommodation services. This study evaluates the carbon footprint of Airbnb hosts in Sydney. The Airbnb platform and its hosts, together generate direct and indirect carbon footprint 7.29-9.39kg CO2e per room night but the extra income of Airbnb hosts can lead to induced carbon footprint. By modelling four different scenarios, the induced carbon footprint of Airbnb hosts range from 3.84 to 602.41 kg CO2e/ room night. Findings challenge the prevalent notion provided by many previous studies that the sharing economy helps to use the under-utilized resources, thus decreasing environmental impacts. This study contributes to peer-to-peer accommodation literature and to the widening public debate on the environmental sustainability of the sharing economy.

The effect of the Covid-19 on sharing economy activities

“…There are numerous sorts of SE activities, and grouping them under a single category would be unproductive ( Hagiu and Wright, 2019 ). The SE focuses on serving underutilized resources, thus promoting efficiency, community, and sustainability ( Cheng et al., 2020 ; Geissinger et al., 2019 ), with the latter being a key concern for businesses ( Muduli et al., 2020 ). Whether service providers—such as Uber drivers, Uber Eats delivery agents, and Airbnb hosts—should be considered employees, contractors, or workers is under serious debate.…”

A Systematic Literature Review. Relationships between the Sharing Economy, Sustainability and Sustainable Development Goals

“…The majority of the papers analyse the impact of the sharing economy in the environment using sectors such as mobility, bikes and clothes. In general, the sharing economy allows the use of under-utilised resources and, therefore, has an environmental benefit by reducing consumption [20]. Regarding shared mobility, it is stated that it reduces the negative impact on the environment and reduces polluting emissions and energy expenditure [21], being a transport element that should not be substituted by a particular car, but be complementary [22].…”

Human capital and sustainability challenges for Airbnb Bed and Breakfast lifestyle entrepreneurs

“…In the sharing economy, peer-to-peer platforms such as Airbnb have often been presented as a more environmentally friendly than other conventional forms of accommodation. Recent studies, however, have evaluated and challenged these assumptions, revealing the need for a broader and more consistent study of the environmental sustainability of the sharing economy (Cheng et al, 2020…”