Being responsible for one fifth of greenhouse gas emissions is substantial.\u00a0 But the impact of households is even more significant when we also consider indirect emissions: the emissions that the consumption of goods and services creates in the supply chain.\u00a0 For example, although wearing clothes doesn\u2019t emit any carbon directly, emissions are generated in the processes used to make them and provide them to consumers.\u00a0 Similar principles apply to most other \u2018household\u2019 categories, such as food, entertainment and public transport.\u00a0 Little wonder, then, that the combined direct and indirect impact of household consumption accounted for about 60% of global greenhouse gas emissions[3]<\/a>, often in countries far from where the end-products are actually consumed.<\/p>\n More than a quarter (27%) of US households\u2019 overseas carbon footprint is generated in China \u2013 with Canada, India, Russia and Mexico also contributing significant proportions.\u00a0 Looking at different types of household consumption, about 70% to 85% of the carbon footprint of clothes bought by US households is produced overseas, along with about two-thirds (65%) of emissions driven by spending on electronics.<\/p>\n Overall, wealthier households are responsible for more emissions: although households earning more than US$ 100,000 a year comprised less than a quarter (22.3%) of the total population, they accounted for almost one third of households\u2019 overall carbon footprint.<\/p>\n Given domestic life accounts for a considerable proportion of emissions both directly and indirectly, changing our behavior has the potential to make a significant contribution to net zero efforts. \u00a0The Project Drawdown<\/a> NGO explains that while most emissions are directly dependent on powerful decision-makers in business, government and elsewhere, \u201cour choices as consumers, energy users, tenants, and voters have direct impact in their own right and can affect those decisions by sending signals across the system\u201d.<\/p>\n According to an analysis by Project Drawdown, actions by individuals and households could potentially bring about more than a quarter of the total emissions reductions needed to stop global temperatures rising beyond dangerous levels[4]<\/a>.<\/p>\n The highest-impact actions identified by the organization are adopting plant-rich diets and cutting food waste, with other top recommendations including installing solar panels, adequate insulation and LED lighting in homes.<\/p>\n Aside from the direct impact of these actions themselves, Project Drawdown stresses that they can also contribute to developing momentum by making them more appealing and accessible to others. \u00a0\u201cIf you are able to install solar panels on your home,\u201d for example, \u201cyou will inspire your neighbors to do the same and will put your local electricity provider on notice that citizens want to get their power from renewable sources instead of fossil fuels.\u201d<\/p>\n So, in theory at least, there is clearly much scope for actions by individuals and households to contribute to reducing emissions. \u00a0But it isn\u2019t a simple matter and looking at one important area \u2013 housing \u2013 can help us understand both the potential and the challenges.<\/p>\n There are many ways in which homes can be more energy efficient: they can be built from greener materials<\/a>, be better insulated, or use less carbon-intensive heating methods, for example. \u00a0Some of the approaches that could help rely on innovative technologies. \u00a0Hydrogen boilers, for example, offer a much more climate-friendly way of heating homes. \u00a0But the use of hydrogen as a fuel<\/a> is still at a prototype stage (though there have been successful pilots in some places). \u00a0In contrast, heat pumps \u2013 which act as \u2018reverse fridges\u2019[5]<\/a>, using heat from the air in the ground or the air to heat homes \u2013 are an established technology that is ready to use. \u00a0As with insulation, the challenges with implementing it are not technological \u2013 they\u2019re to do with practicalities and cost.<\/p>\n The International Energy Agency<\/a>, for example, describes heat pumps as \u201cthe <\/em>key technology to make heating more secure and sustainable\u201d, saying they have the potential to reduce global CO2<\/sub> emissions by at least 500 million tons in 2030.[6]<\/a> \u00a0Nevertheless, some efforts to encourage their adoption have met resistance. \u00a0In Germany in 2023, the government passed a law that will make heat pumps the default source of heating buildings in future years by effectively banning new installations of oil and gas heating systems. \u00a0But the measures were met with vociferous protests from the media[7]<\/a> and political opponents, who argued they would damage prosperity. \u00a0They created major tensions in Germany\u2019s ruling coalition, as one government party also spoke out strongly against the plans[8]<\/a>. \u00a0The controversy contributed to the country being set to miss its targets for heat pump sales in 2024[9]<\/a>.<\/p>\n Germany\u2019s experience is being viewed with alarm in other European countries. \u00a0It illustrates how, even when greener approaches exist, getting people to adopt them can be a major challenge. \u00a0An international study in 2019 found that people\u2019s living situations can limit their ability to reduce their carbon footprint[10]<\/a> \u2013 giving the example of people renting their homes, who do not have the ability to make efficiency improvements. \u00a0The researchers also found that people\u2019s carbon footprint can change according to their life circumstances: having children or living with a health condition can make a significant impact, for example. \u00a0Most concerningly, the research found that \u201cthe greater the mitigation potential of an action, the less willing are households to implement them\u201d. \u00a0About one third of participants, for example, said they would be happy to buy a more eco-friendly car to reduce their carbon footprint \u2013 but only 4% would be willing to completely give up their existing conventional vehicle.<\/p>\n In some cases, trends in consumer behavior can even negate the impact of technological and regulatory improvements. \u00a0Research from 2019, on emissions generated by US households, for example, found that even though cars have become more efficient, transportation emissions have risen over the past two decades \u2013 despite \u201csignificantly reduced tailpipe emissions\u201d and improvement in cars\u2019 fuel economy by nearly a third[11]<\/a>. \u00a0These sustainability improvements were attributed to regulatory changes at the state and federal level. \u00a0But the researchers said that emissions had nonetheless continued to increase, due to factors including a growth in ownership of household vehicles, and people\u2019s desire to travel more.<\/p>\n There are clearly a number of barriers to consumers making the necessary changes to their behavior \u2013 with one key issue being awareness of the challenges involved.<\/p>\n Research by Ofgem<\/a>, the UK\u2019s energy regulator, found that awareness was generally \u2018low\u2019. \u00a0In discussions with consumers, \u201cindividuals rarely spontaneously linked sustainability to their household energy consumption\u201d and \u201cin general, people were not aware of the impact their current heating systems were having on the environment\u201d.[12]<\/a> \u00a0In addition, while people generally felt that the UK\u2019s target of reaching net zero emissions by 2050, was a good idea, they were \u201capprehensive about what this might mean for their current lifestyles\u201d. \u00a0Ofgem\u2019s report concluded: \u201cOverall, while most people are supportive of the targets and are aware things need to change in order to prevent further climate change, they are put off by the impact that decarbonizing might have on their own lives in the short term.\u201d<\/p>\n When they were presented with alternative ways to heat their homes, people perceived a range of barriers. \u00a0They feared the installation process would be inconvenient, or worried that new systems might not be suitable for all properties. \u00a0The research participants also expressed concerns relating to the aesthetics and reliability of new heating approaches. \u00a0But the biggest concern identified was \u201chow much any changes would cost [consumers] financially.\u201d \u00a0Ofgem warned that \u201cmany feel they are very unlikely to make changes to their current energy supply or system without support or guidance\u201d.<\/p>\n These findings align with a report published last year by the UK\u2019s Behavioral Insights Team (BIT<\/a>), which points out that despite nine in ten consumers wanting to make sustainable choices, \u201cmany of the necessary behaviors are currently too expensive, too inconvenient, too unappealing or simply not the default or norm we are used to\u201d. \u00a0<\/strong>In addition to heat pumps being expensive, electric vehicle ownership is too inconvenient for many, the report says. \u00a0The country\u2019s most popular dishes are meat-based, it adds \u2013 and there are no cheap and quick alternatives to long-haul flights.[13]<\/a><\/p>\n So, while consumers are broadly supportive of goals to reduce emissions, they tend to hesitate when the necessary action will have a significant impact on our own lives. \u00a0At the same time, when governments impose regulatory solutions \u2013 such as Germany\u2019s heat pumps law \u2013 the political pushback can be considerable. \u00a0Often, significant opposition to emission-reducing measures can cause governments to delay these or water them down, such as the UK government pushing back its ban on the sale of new petrol or diesel-powered vehicles from 2030 to 2035.[14]<\/a><\/p>\n Therefore if relying on either voluntary or imposed action tends to be ineffective, is there any other way?<\/p>\n Researchers at the UK\u2019s BIT argue there is. \u00a0The organization\u2019s 2023 report says that an approach to sustainability that tackles behavior change across multiple levels is likely to work best. \u00a0The authors point out that while people have the capacity to make individual choices, they do so within \u201cchoice environments\u201d that profoundly influence their actions through factors such as pricing, convenience, and norms.<\/p>\n These environments in turn are formed through a range of over-arching elements such as commercial incentives, regulation, and institutional leadership. \u00a0Based on this model, BIT compares a person facing choices about their behavior to a swimmer in a stream: \u201cfree to swim in a different direction but constrained and influenced by the current\u201d.<\/p>\n Rather than focusing on \u201cdownstream\u201d interventions that directly target individuals, BIT emphasizes the \u201cmidstream\u201d environments that people make choices within, and \u201cupstream\u201d factors which ultimately create those environments. \u00a0It argues that by targeting people\u2019s environment in this way, \u201cgreener behaviors can naturally flourish\u201d.<\/p>\n In relation to energy use in homes, the BIT\u2019s recommendations include reducing electricity prices relative to gas \u2013 through measures such as switching environmental levies or price caps. \u00a0The report also calls on the government to incentivize retrofits among owner-occupiers and landlords \u2013 for example, by offering loans to support improvements and linking the level of tax on property purchases to environmental ratings. \u00a0A national \u2018one-stop-shop\u2019 to support green homes is also called for, with the offer including access to a network of approved suppliers, guarantees of fair pricing, and consumer protections. \u00a0Measures such as these are designed to \u201cbuild an environment in which green options are naturally the more appealing, easy or default choices\u201d.<\/p>\n Research last year by the International Public Policy Observatory (IPPO<\/a>) came to similar conclusions, arguing that consumers are more likely to make green purchases if the government makes interventions focused on \u201cbehavioral and human factors\u201d, as well as the systems and contexts that shape these. \u00a0The IPPO used a model of behavior change which holds that people\u2019s decisions are influenced by numerous factors and contexts, including interpersonal relationships, local communities, businesses and institutions as well as government policy.[15]<\/a> \u00a0Its recommendations include creating consistent incentive structures \u2013 including green low-interest loans and mortgages for insulation \u2013 and new home upgrade agencies that use data-driven segmentation techniques to provide tailored advice and financial support to consumers.<\/p>\n As both of these reports suggest, successful decarbonization efforts can rarely be explained by one factor alone.<\/p>\n We can see this in Nordic countries such as Finland, Sweden, and Norway \u2013 which have the highest installation rates of heat pumps in the world, despite their cold climates. \u00a0Over the past 30 years, pumps sold have contributed to large drops in CO2<\/sub> emissions in each of these countries (-72%, -83% and -95% respectively)[16]<\/a>. \u00a0They previously used oil extensively for heating but following the oil crisis of the 1970s they all made concerted efforts to move away from fossil fuels.<\/p>\n Dr. Jan Rosenow, director of European programs at the Regulatory Assistance Project<\/a> (RAP) NGO, says that in each country this goal has been a \u201cconstant focus in national energy policy\u201d, leading to fossil fuels playing a small role in heating.[17]<\/a> \u00a0This provided an important stimulus for research and development of heat pump technology, as well as government interventions such as information campaigns and grant payments. \u00a0RAP found these countries\u2019 success was down to a mix of policy instruments working in concert, including carbon taxation, government incentives, regulations, quality standards, and consumer protection. \u00a0Rosenow stresses that there is no single policy that can deliver a mass market for heat pumps. \u00a0Rather, he recommends a \u201cwell-designed policy mix of economic instruments, financial support and regulation, underpinned by coordination and engagement\u201d.<\/p>\n These countries\u2019 success with heat pumps shows that transformation is possible. \u00a0But for the world to meet its decarbonization goals, change on a comparable scale will be needed across a wide range of different areas. \u00a0Earlier this year, the Politico website<\/a> highlighted how meeting the European Union\u2019s target of slashing greenhouse gas emissions by 90% by 2040 would require Europe to \u201cremodel its economy, alter its landscapes, and change its lifestyles\u201d.[18]<\/a> \u00a0Assessing what such a scenario would mean in practical terms, it imagined a \u201ccontinent transformed\u201d \u2013 with the process of getting there involving \u201cgoverning coalitions shattered, companies shuttered,\u201d and farmers besieging Brussels.<\/p>\n The necessary changes would include consumers switching to more plant-based diets, with farmers keeping less livestock and rapidly reducing the use of nitrogen-based fertilizers. \u00a0As well as more heat pumps, there would be reduced consumption overall and measures to incentivize people to reduce their living space. \u00a0The majority of cars would be electric, with more use of shared mobility and active travel \u2013 and flights would become more expensive thanks to taxes and carbon pricing. \u00a0The large-scale decarbonization of power would mean more transmission towers and electricity cables, more landscapes dotted with wind turbines and solar panels, and more utilization of Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) to provide truly sustainable energy \u2013 a field in which Jameel Energy<\/a>\u2019s Fotowatio Renewable Ventures (FRV<\/a>) is a rising force.<\/p>\n Active across five continents, FRV develops and manages a growing portfolio of BESS facilities, with a particular focus on the UK, where it has established a BESS Center of Excellence headed by David Menendez<\/a>.<\/p>\n In 2023, FRV reached financial close on two of its major UK battery storage<\/a> projects \u2013 Contego, West Sussex and Clay Tye, Essex \u2013 the latter being one of the largest BESS projects in the UK and the joint largest operational BESS in Europe at the time of its inauguration.<\/p>\n Clay Tye came online<\/a> at the end of March 2024.\u00a0 It utilizes 52 Tesla Megapack lithium-ion batteries to provide an output of 99 MW and capacity of 198 MWh.\u00a0 Similarly, Contego<\/a> harnesses an output of 34 MW and capacity of 68 MWh from an array of 28 batteries. \u00a0FRV has also begun construction of two further UK BESS schemes<\/a>, this time in the Midlands.\u00a0 Each project covers 1.01 hectares, and together they will generate some 100 MW of energy.\u00a0 The two lithium-ion battery storage systems will allow the import and export of energy connected to the distribution network.<\/p>\n These schemes build on the success of its Holes Bay<\/a> BESS project in Dorset, UK, active since 2020.\u00a0 The 15 MWh site was the first to go live in the National Grid\u2019s new wider-access Application Programming Interface (API) for the Balancing Mechanism.<\/p>\n FRV now has more than 5 GW of BESS projects at various stages of operation or development in the UK.\u00a0 This is complemented by similar projects in Australia, where the company is developing BESS facilities at Gnarware<\/a>, in Victoria, and a hybrid solar and BESS plant at Dalby,<\/a> Queensland \u2013 this latter one, a hybrid solar photovoltaic (PV) and BESS facility came on line in July 2024<\/a>.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/media.alj.com\/app\/uploads\/2025\/11\/2004-ALJ-Domestic-Decarbonization-v1_001-scaled.jpg\")
<\/p>\nPotential for households and individuals to contribute<\/h2>\n
Challenges of implementation<\/h2>\n
Complexities of changing behavior<\/h2>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/media.alj.com\/app\/uploads\/2025\/11\/2004-ALJ-Domestic-Decarbonization-v1_002-scaled.jpg\")
<\/p>\nBarriers to behavior change<\/h2>\n
Taking action to drive change<\/h2>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/media.alj.com\/app\/uploads\/2025\/11\/2004-ALJ-Domestic-Decarbonization-v1_003-scaled.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/media.alj.com\/app\/uploads\/2025\/11\/2004-ALJ-Domestic-Decarbonization-v1_004-scaled.jpg\")
<\/p>\nWhat does the future hold?<\/h2>\n
![\"Contego](\"https:\/\/media.alj.com\/app\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Contego-BESS-Visit-FJ2.jpg\")
![\"Aerial](\"https:\/\/media.alj.com\/app\/uploads\/2025\/01\/CLAY-TYE-130324-54-scaled-1.jpg\")