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Study Identifies High-Consumption Groups as Key to Reducing Global Environmental Footprint

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  • Study Identifies High-Consumption Groups As Key To Reducing Global Environmental Footprint
Computer-generated people figures exit planet Earth in the background.

A new study sheds light on a crucial but often overlooked driver of environmental degradation: the spending habits of the world’s wealthiest consumers. 

While climate change and resource depletion are global challenges, a recent study identifies the top 20% of consumers—those with the highest spending power—as key contributors to environmental strain. By adjusting their spending habits on food, services and other key sectors, these affluent consumers have the potential to significantly reduce their environmental impact, offering a powerful opportunity to restore balance to Earth’s delicate ecosystems.

Published in Nature, the study was led by Associate Professor Kuishuang Feng and Professor Laixiang Sun, both from the Department of Geographical Sciences at the University of Maryland, in collaboration with Professor Klaus Hubacek from the University of Groningen and other international researchers, including a PhD graduate from the department. 

The team estimated that the wealthiest 10% and 20% of global consumers are responsible for 31%-67% and 51%-91% of breaches in safe planetary boundaries, respectively. Planetary boundaries (PB) define safe operational limits within which Earth's systems can function sustainably; exceeding these limits threatens both environmental stability and human well-being. These high-consumption groups, present in both developed and developing countries, exert a global influence on ecological degradation.

Using an extensive dataset covering up to 201 consumption groups across 168 countries, the researchers analyzed the environmental impact of spending on six key footprint indicators. Their analysis reveals how different consumer behaviors contribute to planetary transgressions.

The findings suggest that if the world’s top 20% of consumers shifted their consumption habits toward more sustainable patterns within their group, they could reduce their environmental impact by 25%-53%. “These changes would have profound effects, especially if focused on the food and services sectors,” said Feng. “Our study shows that changing consumption patterns in just these two areas could help bring critical planetary boundaries, particularly those related to land system changes and biosphere integrity, back within safe limits.”

“This research highlights the critical need to engage high-expenditure consumers in climate and sustainability efforts,” said Sun. “By adopting less impactful consumption patterns, these groups can play a major role in mitigating environmental degradation and guiding society toward a sustainable future.”

The study calls for targeted actions and policy interventions that encourage sustainable practices among affluent consumers. “These actions include,” said Hubacek, “implementing progressive taxes on luxury goods to curb excessive consumption and generate revenue for environmental programs, and promoting awareness and cultural shifts toward less resource-intensive lifestyles, especially in the affluent population.” Such efforts are essential to securing Earth's resilience for future generations.

Read the full paper 
 

Main image: Artistic depiction of humanity breaking the boundary of the green “safe” zone for living on Earth, from 2021 Netflix documentary "Breaking Boundaries"

Published on Wed, 11/13/2024 - 12:00

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