A Framework for Decoupling Human Need Satisfaction From Energy Use

Lina I. Brand-Correa and Julia K. Steinberger
Authors registered in the RePEc Author Service: Lina Isabel Brand Correa ()

Ecological Economics, 2017, vol. 141, issue C, 43-52

Abstract: Climate change poses great challenges to modern societies, central amongst which is to decouple human need satisfaction from energy use. Energy systems are the main source of greenhouse gas emissions, and the services provided by energy (such as heating, power, transport and lighting) are vital to support human development. To address this challenge, we advocate for a eudaimonic need-centred understanding of human well-being, as opposed to hedonic subjective views of well-being. We also argue for a shift in the way we analyse energy demand, from energy throughput to energy services. By adopting these perspectives on either end of the wellbeing-energy spectrum, a “double decoupling” potential can be uncovered. We present a novel analytic framework and showcase several methodological approaches for analysing the relationship between, and decoupling of, energy services and human needs. We conclude by proposing future directions of research in this area based on the analytic framework.

Keywords: Energy services; Human needs; Well-being; Development; Climate change; Mixed methods (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2017
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (52)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:ecolec:v:141:y:2017:i:c:p:43-52

DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolecon.2017.05.019

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