Sustainable Middle Classes in Middle Income Countries: Transforming Carbon Consumption Patterns (SMMICC)
The unprecedented growth of the new middle classes in middle income developing
countries implies a strong growth in both consumption and carbon emissions. This interdisciplinary research project analyses the drivers of individual consumption choices of the new middle classes and the influence of different middle class consumer groups on policy. The project explores concrete options to change existing trends towards low-carbon consumption.
Project Lead:
Babette Never
Project Team:
Hanna Fuhrmann-Riebel
Sascha Kuhn
Financing:
Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF)
Time frame:
2017 - 2022
/
completed
Project description
The unprecedented growth of the new middle classes in middle income developing countries implies a strong growth in both consumption and carbon emissions, particularly if consumption patterns mirror the lifestyles of industrialized countries. The drivers of carbon consumption choices of the new middle classes are as unclear as the political relevance of middle class groups as political actors, i.e. citizen-consumers. Understanding both is important for determining future consumption trends. This project analyses
(1) the drivers of the new middle classes’ carbon consumption patterns at a micro level,
(2) the influence of middle class groups on the political-economy of emission-related policy (citizen-consumers),
(3) how to change resulting trends towards low-carbon consumption.
The project takes an interdisciplinary approach, combining insight from economics (income), political science (participation, power), social psychology and sociology (status, values, implementation intentions) in an innovative, multi-phased mixed-methods design. The project will conduct a cross-regional, comparative analysis of the emerging middle classes’ carbon consumption patterns in Ghana, Peru and the Philippines. The focus lies on the emission intensive sectors transport, housing and appliances. Drawing on a combination of household surveys, qualitative interviews and a survey experiment of concrete policy interventions, the aims are to
(a) close an empirical research gap with the assembly of a unique dataset,
(b) contribute to theory-building on political consumption and citizen-consumership in middle income countries, and
(c) identify and communicate policy recommendations to decision-makers.
Publications
-
Unmasking the middle class in the Philippines: aspirations, lifestyles, and prospects for sustainable consumption
Never, Babette / Albert, Jose Ramon G. (2021)
in: Asian Studies Review 45 (4), 594-614 -
The role of preferences for pro-environmental behaviour among urban middle class households in Peru
Fuhrmann, Hanna / D'Exelle, Ben / Verschoor, Arjan (2020)
in: DEV Working Paper Series (56), The School of International Development, Norwich: University of East Anglia, UK (Online) -
Profile and determinants of the middle classes in Ghana: energy use and sustainable consumption
Senadza, Bernardin / Babette Never / Sascha Kuhn / Felix A. Asante (2020)
in: Journal of Sustainable Development 13 (6), 11-25 (online first) -
Wie die Corona-Pandemie uns zu mehr Nachhaltigkeit motivieren kann
Fuhrmann, Hanna / Kuhn, Sascha (2020)
published on 17ziele.de, 07.08.2020, Online -
Parallels between the corona pandemic and climate change
Fuhrmann, Hanna / Sascha Kuhn (2020)
German Development Institute / Deutsches Institut für Entwicklungspolitik (DIE), The Current Column of 1 April 2020 -
Carbon consumption patterns of emerging middle classes
Never, Babette / Jose Ramon Albert / Hanna Fuhrmann / Sebastian Gsell / Miguel Jaramillo / Sascha Kuhn / Bernardin Senadza (2020)
Discussion Paper 13/2020 -
The behavioural lens: taking a behavioural vantage point to improve the success of development programmes
Kaplan, Lennart / Sascha Kuhn / Jana Kuhnt (2020)
Briefing Paper 2/2020 -
Book review: "Randomistas: how radical researchers are changing our world" by Andrew Leigh
Fuhrmann, Hanna (2019)
in: Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics 78 (February), 87-88 -
Green economy – Options for sustainable consumption
Never, Babette (2017)
Bonn: German Development Institute / Deutsches Institut für Entwicklungspolitik (DIE) (The Current Column of 24 April 2017)
Events
Project Coordination
Co-operation Partner
Links
Call for Papers
Up-scaling co-benefits of sustainableconsumption for development
Bonn, 13-14 June 2022