Negligible impacts of early COVID-19 confinement on household carbon footprints in Japan

The rapid and extensive changes in household consumption patterns during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic can serve as a natural experiment for exploring the environmental outcomes of changing human behavior. Here, we assess the carbon footprint of household consumption in Japan during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic (January-May 2020), which were characterized by moderate confinement measures. The associated lifestyle changes did not have a significant effect on the overall household carbon footprint compared with 2015-2019 levels. However, there were significant trade-offs between individual consumption categories such that the carbon footprint increased for some categories (e.g., eating at home) or declined (e.g., eating out, transportation, clothing, and entertainment) or remained relatively unchanged (e.g., housing) for others. Furthermore, carbon footprint patterns between age groups were largely consistent with 2015-2019 levels. However, changes in food-related carbon footprints were visible for all age groups since March and, in some cases, since February.

Automated summary

During the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic in Japan, household consumption patterns did not have a significant impact on overall carbon footprints compared to previous years (2015-2019). However, there were noticeable trade-offs between different consumption categories, with changes in food-related carbon footprints observed across all age groups since March, and in some cases since February.