Looking beyond the average Swedish household carbon footprint

This research paper presents initial findings from the Klimatkalkylatorn dataset, an online carbon footprint calculator developed by the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) and WWF Sweden. Based on self-reported data from over 800,000 users, the study analyzes variations in household carbon footprints across Sweden, examining the influence of geography, household size, and income levels to provide a more granular view than national statistics.

• The average carbon footprint among users of the Klimatkalkylatorn tool is 4.3 tons CO2e per person, which is slightly lower than the official Swedish EPA estimate of 4.6 tons CO2e. The primary drivers of emissions for these users are food (27%), vehicles (18%), and air travel (16%).
• Air travel is the consumption category that creates the most significant variation in carbon footprints between households and municipality groups. Residents of large cities (group A1) have an air travel footprint twice as high as those in rural municipalities (group C8).
• Geographical location and urbanization levels influence footprint drivers. Residents in 'Commuting municipalities near large cities' (group A2) have the highest overall footprint per person. Conversely, large cities (group A1) have the lowest overall footprint per person, largely due to lower car travel emissions, despite having the highest air travel footprints.
• Household size significantly impacts per capita emissions. Single-person households exhibit the highest footprint per person, particularly in air travel, furniture, electronics, and eating out. The lowest per person footprints are found in households consisting of one adult with four children.
• There is a strong correlation between high average income levels and higher carbon footprints. The three municipalities with the highest average footprints—Danderyd, Vellinge, and Lidingö—are also recognized for having the highest average income levels.
• Vehicle-related emissions are highest in rural areas (C8 and C9) due to greater distances and limited public transport. In contrast, the lowest vehicle footprints are found in municipalities like Lund and Umeå, which have high populations of students and cyclists.
• The study suggests that Sweden should incorporate the full effect of air travel into official statistics to better identify policy measures for reducing consumption emissions, as air travel is the primary driver of footprint differences.

APA

Axelsson, K., Rahmati-Abkenar, M., & Dawkins, E. (2023). Looking beyond the average Swedish household carbon footprint. Stockholm Environment Institute. https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/sei2023.057-household-sweden-klimatkalkylatorn.pdf

Chicago

Axelsson, Katarina, Mahboubeh Rahmati-Abkenar, and Elena Dawkins. Looking beyond the average Swedish household carbon footprint. Stockholm Environment Institute, 2023. https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/sei2023.057-household-sweden-klimatkalkylatorn.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Axelsson |first1=Katarina |last2=Rahmati-Abkenar |first2=Mahboubeh |last3=Dawkins |first3=Elena |title=Looking beyond the average Swedish household carbon footprint |publisher=Stockholm Environment Institute |date=November 2023 |url=https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/sei2023.057-household-sweden-klimatkalkylatorn.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{axelsson2023looking, author = {Axelsson, Katarina and Rahmati-Abkenar, Mahboubeh and Dawkins, Elena}, title = {{Looking beyond the average Swedish household carbon footprint}}, institution = {Stockholm Environment Institute}, year = {2023}, month = nov, url = {https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/sei2023.057-household-sweden-klimatkalkylatorn.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }