Household Carbon Emissions in India: Correlation with Income and Household Size

Abstract

This paper reports the carbon emission of households of Bhilai, Durg, Rajnandgaon region of Chhattisgarh, India and their correlation with the income and household size. The total direct carbon emission is studied against the three household CO₂ emission activities viz. energy, transport (petrol), and LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) for different income groups. The ANOVA and linear regression model study of the area reveals that the highest contributor for total primary CO₂ emission is household energy uses; on the contrary the emission from LPG uses has the highest impact for every unit difference in uses. Notwithstanding the income is positively correlated with energy uses while an LPG emission remains almost constant for all income groups. The study of impact of household size on total primary CO₂ emission put forward the adults have more impact with a coefficient value of 24.2 units as compared to 17.1 for children. The income is positively correlated with total primary emission but household’s characteristics influence emissions differently for low, middle and high income groups. Hence household’s size and CO₂ emission from different activities have greater impact on total emission than income. For emission reduction policies those areas should be targeted.