Journal
ENERGY POLICY
Volume 174, Issue -, Pages -Publisher
ELSEVIER SCI LTD
DOI: 10.1016/j.enpol.2023.113460
Keywords
Household carbon emissions; Expansion of social networks; Comparison behavior
Ask authors/readers for more resources
The expansion of social networks has a significant impact on household carbon emissions (HCEs) by increasing consumption quantity and upgrading consumption structure based on status-seeking comparison behavior. The effects of social network expansion on HCEs vary depending on the household income level and characteristics of household heads (age and education level). Adjusting consumer behavior through expanding social networks, cultivating green consumption concepts, and promoting low-carbon products can be important strategies in mitigating HCEs.
As a factor influencing household consumption behavior, the expansion of social networks has an important impact on household carbon emissions (HCEs). Based on survey data from the China Family Panel Studies from 2014 to 2018, we explored the impacts of the expansion of social networks on HCEs and its mechanism. We further analyzed the heterogeneous effects of household income level and characteristics of household heads on HCEs, including age and education level. Our results show that the expansion of social networks can increase HCEs through enlarging consumption quantity and upgrading consumption structure, which is motivated by the comparison behavior based on status-seeking. In addition, the expansion of social networks has a bigger impact on HCEs when the head of household is younger, the head of household has a higher level of education, and the per capita income of the household is higher. These findings suggest that adjusting consumer behavior through the expansion of social networks, cultivating green consumption concepts, and promoting the consumption of low-carbon products may become important strategies to mitigate HCEs.
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available