Energy efficiency and sustainable consumption : the rebound effect / edited by Horace Herring and Steve Sorrell.

Format:

Book

Contributor:

Herring, Horace.

Sorrell, Steve, 1963-

Series:

Energy, climate, and the environment series

Energy, climate and the environment series

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Energy consumption.

Physical Description:

xiv, 266 pages : illustrations ; 23 cm.

Place of Publication:

Basingstoke [England] ; New York : Palgrave Macmillan, 2009.

Summary:

Most governments seek to improve energy efficiency in order to reduce carbon emissions. But this may not be as effective as is generally assumed. Various rebound effects’ may take back some or all of the energy savings. It is even possible that improvements in energy efficiency will lead to increases in energy demand over the long term. Encouraging energy efficiency as a means of tackling climate change would then be futile - rather like a dog chasing its tail.

This is the first book to provide a detailed analysis of these rebound effects and to highlight their far-reaching implications for energy and climate policy. It combines economic studies of the rebound effect with broader analyses of the socio-cultural and political implications. Written for researchers, policy makers and environmentalists, the book summarizes the current state of knowledge, presents new research and explores the conditions under which energy efficiency can contribute to sustainability.

Contents:

1 Introduction / Steve Sorrell, Horace Herring 1

Part I Direct Rebound Effects 21

2 The Evidence for Direct Rebound Effects / Steve Sorrell 23

3 Fuel Efficiency and Automobile Travel in Germany: Don’t Forget the Rebound Effect! / Manuel Frondel, Jorg Peters, Colin Vance 47

Part II Economy-wide Rebound Effects 67

4 Modelling the Economy-wide Rebound Effect / Grant Allan, Michelie Gilmartin, Peter G. McGregor, J. Kim Swales, Karen Turner 69

5 Specifying Technology for Analysing Rebound / Harry D. Saunders 99

6 Energy Efficiency and Economic Growth: the ‘Rebound Effect’ as a Driver / Robert U. Ayres, Benjamin Warr 119

7 Exploring Jevons’ Paradox / Steve Sorrell 136

Part III Rebound Effects and Sustainable Consumption 165

8 Time-use Rebound Effects: an Activity-based View of Consumption / Mikko Jalas 167

9 Rebound and Rational Public Policy-Making / Roger Levett 185

10 Avoiding Rebound through a Steady-state Economy / Jargen S. Norgard 204

11 Sufficiency and the Rebound Effect / Horace Herring 224

12 Conclusion / Steve Sorrell, Horace Herring 240.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

0230525342

9780230525344

OCLC:

232002017