Characteristics of CO₂ Emissions by Sex, Age, and Household Type in a Suburban City and the Potential for Reductions

Abstract

This study focuses on Fukui Prefecture, a typical suburban city area where energy consumption has been sharply rising. It assesses current CO₂ emissions in the region by residents' attributes and gauges their intent to adopt a low-carbon lifestyle, thereby clarifying differences by attribute, forecasting emission levels for 2020, and examining the potential for reductions. It is projected that by 2020, domestic-sector CO₂ emissions in Fukui Prefecture will, compared to 2005, rise by 10.7 percent in the passenger-vehicle category and decline by 1.3 percent in the household category, for a net increase of 3.7 percent. As a questionnaire administered to residents of three prefectures in the Hokuriku region reveals, the range of low-carbon lifestyles sought by residents is considerable; although needs differ by sex, age, and household type. Intent to adopt the compact urban lifestyle promoted by local governments is high among young males and elderly females. It is predicted that the widespread adoption of low-carbon lifestyles will make it possible to reduce CO₂ emissions by 6.7 percent compared to original forecasts under a realistic scenario, or by 17.1 percent maximum.