In a new report, Simon Roberts outlines why poor households are facing a triple injustice when it comes to cutting carbon emissions.
The poorest fifth of the population have already significantly exceeded the Government’s carbon reduction target for 2020. Their direct household carbon emissions – for home energy, transport and air travel – are already 43% below the GB average. They heat their homes less, drive less, and fly much less.
So why is it they are carrying more of the burden of cutting carbon emissions than better off households? The answers can be found in new research by the Centre for Sustainable Energy for the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, published today.
Based on detailed analysis of the Government's own figures, the study reveals that the lowest income households are paying more than their share towards the cost of carbon reduction policies – and they are due to receive less than their share of the policy benefits.
So lower income households have much lower carbon emissions but they are paying most for policies. And the policies tend to support better-off households to cut their carbon emissions. Why is this?
