Doctoral defense in Environmental studies - Sarah Olson

Doctoral candidate:
Sarah Olson

Title of thesis: Living within the 1.5-degree warming limit: An analysis of consumption-based carbon footprints in the Nordic countries.

Opponents:
Dr. Diana Ivanova, Associate Professor in Environmental and Climate Governance, University of Leeds, United Kingdom
Dr. Annukka Vainio, Professor at the Department of Forest Science, University of Helsinki, Finland

Advisor:
Dr. Jukka Heinonen, Professor at the Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Iceland

Other members of the doctoral committee:
Dr. Áróra Árnadóttir, Adjunct at the Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Iceland
Dr. Juudit Ottelin, Associate Professor at the Department of Energy and Process Engineering, Norwegian University of Science and Technology

Chair of Ceremony:
Dr. Hrund Ólöf Andradóttir, Professor and Head of the Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Iceland

Abstract:
To stay within the 1.5 degree warming limit, changes to lifestyle and personal consumption are necessary to mitigate the effects of climate change. From a consumptive perspective, the emissions from affluent countries and individuals are greatly exceeding this limit, even when individuals report having a high climate concern. This thesis examines the potential of different low-carbon consumption options in the Nordic context to see what impact they have on consumption-based carbon footprints (CBCFs) as well as analyzing the affect climate concern and the motivation to reduce one’s carbon footprint (climate motivation) have on CBCFs. This thesis aims to answer the question: how can residents of Nordic countries live within the 1.5-degree limits? To answer this, data from a carbon footprint calculator survey from the Nordic countries was used, which received around 8,000 responses. Overall, the average CBCFs of the respondents were above 1.5 degree compatible levels. The low-carbon consumption options that were associated with the lowest carbon footprints included having a vegan or vegetarian diet, not owning a car, and not flying. The rebound effects associated with many of the low-carbon actions were generally limited and insignificant. The participation in many of the low-carbon options was low and respondents mostly needed to engage in multiple low-carbon consumption options in order to have 1.5 degree compatible footprints. High climate concern, climate motivation and engagement with pro-climate actions were all associated with lower carbon footprints however the footprints were still not at 1.5 degree compatible levels.

About the doctoral candidate:
Sarah Olson is originally from the USA. She has been living in Iceland for the past seven years. She completed her MS in Environment and Natural Resources at Háskóli Íslands in 2019. She earned her BS in Botany at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2004.