Sinclair, R. (2013). Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Public Consumption in Gothenburg. (Master Thesis. Report No. 2013:7). Gothenburg: Department of Energy and Environment, Division of Physical Resource Theory, Chalmers University of Technology.
The purpose of this thesis is to explore and estimate greenhouse gas emissions from the public consumption in Gothenburg. By doing so it should be possible to see where the emissions are originating from and how large they are. Potentials for lowering emissions from public food consumption and the public transportation system in the year of 2030 are also investigated.
This thesis is part of a Mistra Urban Futures project which is done in collaboration between Chalmers University of Technology, the Environment department of the municipality of Gothenburg and Västra Götalandsregionen (VGR). The entire project’s goal is to estimate greenhouse gas emissions for typical citizens in Gothenburg according to a consumption perspective.
The consumption perspective differs from the (usually reported) production perspective where the latter only includes emissions emitted within a geographical area whereas the consumption perspective includes all the up-stream emissions the consumption of a product or service is responsible for.
A top-down method using greenhouse gas emission intensities for different activities, per million SEK, from Swedish Input-Output data was used to estimate the total greenhouse gas emissions from public consumption. A bottom-up method (combining LCA data with consumption quantities) was also used to estimate emissions from public food consumption and from the public transportation system, this to get another perspective and to be able to estimate potentials for lowering emissions from these two activities. The definition of the public consumption was set to involve expenditures from all public activities, even those partly paid from private funds e.g. hospital costs including patient fee.
The emissions carried out by the municipality of Gothenburg, VGR and the state were estimated to about 1,8 ton CO2-eq per citizen in Gothenburg and year. Large contributors were the four categories (based on SNI); Authorities, The educational system, Construction, Healthcare and care. State subsidies to the agricultural sector are also generating large amount of emissions.
By using the bottom-up perspective the public food consumption in the municipality of Gothenburg was estimated to 0,053 ton CO2-eq per person and year with a potential of decreasing emissions between 31 % and 88 % per person. This was estimated by changing type of food, increasing energy efficiency and use non fossil fuels in the food production. The public transportation consumption was estimated to 0,072 ton CO2-eq per person and year of which half was allocated to public consumption. By changing technologies and fuels the potential for reducing greenhouse gas emissions was estimated up to 87 % per person and year.
The goal, set by the municipality of Gothenburg, is to reach below a total (including public and private consumption) of 1,9 tons CO2-eq per person in 2050. It is thus of high relevance to also treat emissions from public consumption to a larger extent than what is done today. This since emissions from public consumption itself is close to the limit.
