Household actions can provide a behavioral wedge to rapidly reduce US carbon emissions

TLDR

Climate policy has largely focused on long‑term solutions such as new low‑carbon technologies and cap‑and‑trade, while existing interventions vary by action type and combine multiple policy tools and social marketing. The study examines the near‑term carbon‑reduction potential of behavioral changes in US households and non‑business travel, and calls for future analyses to integrate behavioral, economic, and engineering perspectives. The authors estimate the plasticity of 17 household action types across five behavioral categories using data on the most effective documented interventions that avoid new regulatory measures. National implementation could save about 123 million metric tons of CO₂ per year by year 10—roughly 20 % of household direct emissions and 7.4 % of national emissions—without harming household well‑being, underscoring the need for greater policy attention to household action.

Abstract

Most climate change policy attention has been addressed to long-term options, such as inducing new, low-carbon energy technologies and creating cap-and-trade regimes for emissions. We use a behavioral approach to examine the reasonably achievable potential for near-term reductions by altered adoption and use of available technologies in US homes and nonbusiness travel. We estimate the plasticity of 17 household action types in 5 behaviorally distinct categories by use of data on the most effective documented interventions that do not involve new regulatory measures. These interventions vary by type of action and typically combine several policy tools and strong social marketing. National implementation could save an estimated 123 million metric tons of carbon per year in year 10, which is 20% of household direct emissions or 7.4% of US national emissions, with little or no reduction in household well-being. The potential of household action deserves increased policy attention. Future analyses of this potential should incorporate behavioral as well as economic and engineering elements.