Comments on: The rebound effect http://www.carboncommentary.com/2007/11/11/51 A critical appraisal of issues in the move to a low-carbon economy Sat, 05 Jul 2008 01:12:41 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.3 By: Robert Palgrave http://www.carboncommentary.com/2007/11/11/51#comment-67 Robert Palgrave Wed, 14 Nov 2007 21:22:04 +0000 http://www.carboncommentary.com/2007/11/11/51#comment-67 Fundamentally, we have to accept that in our developed world, there's not a great deal you can spend 'disposable' income on that doesn't use energy (either at the point of consumption, or embedded as part of manufacture). As the energy is fossil-fuel derived, our spending of such income is emissions-generating. This poses an interesting rebound-type question for cap and trade schemes using personal carbon allowances. If the energy-thrifty can sell their excess allowances, what do they spend the money on that doesn't consume carbon and therefore require them to buy more credits? Fundamentally, we have to accept that in our developed world, there’s not a great deal you can spend ‘disposable’ income on that doesn’t use energy (either at the point of consumption, or embedded as part of manufacture). As the energy is fossil-fuel derived, our spending of such income is emissions-generating.

This poses an interesting rebound-type question for cap and trade schemes using personal carbon allowances. If the energy-thrifty can sell their excess allowances, what do they spend the money on that doesn’t consume carbon and therefore require them to buy more credits?

]]> By: Peter Page http://www.carboncommentary.com/2007/11/11/51#comment-64 Peter Page Tue, 13 Nov 2007 13:04:38 +0000 http://www.carboncommentary.com/2007/11/11/51#comment-64 Your final paragraph is the most important - the real work is to decarbonize our energy economy because we cannot reasonable expect people to reduce energy use, at the cost of comfort and convenience, when there is no economic or regulatory reason for them to do so. Energy efficiency is crucially important to increasing the effectiveness of renewable energy but, as you point out, cannot reduce fossil fuel use sufficiently to get us where we need to go. Your final paragraph is the most important - the real work is to decarbonize our energy economy because we cannot reasonable expect people to reduce energy use, at the cost of comfort and convenience, when there is no economic or regulatory reason for them to do so. Energy efficiency is crucially important to increasing the effectiveness of renewable energy but, as you point out, cannot reduce fossil fuel use sufficiently to get us where we need to go.

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