Keeping the global consumption within the planetary boundaries.

ABSTRACT: The disparity in environmental impacts across different countries has been widely acknowledged^1,2. However, ascertaining the specific responsibility within the complex interactions of economies and consumption groups remains a challenging endeavour^3-5. Here, using an expenditure database that includes up to 201 consumption groups across 168 countries, we investigate the distribution of 6 environmental footprint indicators and assess the impact of specific consumption expenditures on planetary boundary transgressions. We show that 31-67% and 51-91% of the planetary boundary breaching responsibility could be attributed to the global top 10% and top 20% of consumers, respectively, from both developed and developing countries. By following an effective mitigation pathway,

SUBMITTER: Tian P 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11578892 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature