Ecologically sustainable consumption improves the conditions for social participation

Private consumption that considers resource-saving and environmentally friendly behaviour is one aspect of sustainable development. The current soeb-Working-Paper 2016-3 published within the research network soeb 3 shows the impact of a more sustainable consumer behaviour. It is assumed that, given a constant level of aggregate consumption, the consumption expenditures gradually shift to less environmentally harmful services. The long-term socioeconomic outcomes of a more sustainable consumption are predominantly positive. The conditions for participation measured by the TBI (see Drosdowski et al. 2016) are better. The income and consumption inequality between high- and low-income households is lower.