Fushimi, I; (2007) An investigation into the personal carbon dioxide emissions: A cross sectional study of healthcare professionals in a teaching hospital. Doctoral thesis , UCL (University College London).

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Abstract

The aim of this thesis was to investigate personal carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions using a case study of 37 healthcare professionals. This study involved exploring a method of calculating personal CO2 emissions in the 3 main spheres of household energy use, car travel and flights and profiling personal energy consumptions. Secondary objectives included the identification of potential areas of CO2 emissions reduction and barriers that people face towards making these reductions. A questionnaire was adopted as a method to collect data surrounding energy consumptions and to provide a framework for semi-structured interviews to obtain personal views and feedback from survey participants. This method proved to be a viable and reproducible approach to calculating visible domestic energy consumption less visible sources of energy consumption such as work-related consumption was beyond the scope of the questionnaire, and thesis. The combined annual CO2 emissions from the cohort interviewed was 245 tonnes (approximately 6.6 tonnes per person) 37% of CO2 emissions were due to household energy use, 36% from car travel and 27% from flights. There was marked variation in carbon emissions amongst the individuals interviewed. Such variation hints towards potential for carbon emissions reduction. Indeed, when interviewed, most individuals acknowledged that more could be done to reduce personal carbon emissions. However, when asked about obstacles towards reducing carbon emissions, the commonest answers cited a lack of governmental support, with other common answers citing inconvenience and an unwillingness to sacrifice or adopt a lifestyle change. The majority of those interviewed felt that climate change was real and at least partly contributed to by human activity. Potential legislation for reduction of carbon emissions was also discussed. Personal carbon trading appealed to most interviewees, followed by energy rationing. There was wide variation in what people thought was a fair tariff for a tonne of carbon dioxide emission.

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