Title: Promoting better lives is good for climate: Potential co-benefits of digital convergence and sharing in consumer goods

Speaker: Nuno Bento, Centre for Socioeconomic and Territorial Studies, ISCTE – University Institute of Lisbon
Moderator: Cristina Cattaneo, RFF-CMCC European Institute on Economics and the Environment, CMCC

Abstract
Access to modern energy services (entertainment, food preparation, etc.) provided by consumer goods remains unequal, while growing adoption due to rising incomes in Global South increases energy demand and GHG emissions. The current model through which these energy services is provided is unsustainable and needs to evolve—a goal that emerging social and technological innovations can help to achieve. Digital convergence and sharing economy have potential to make access to appliances more affordable and efficient. This research estimates the effect of innovations around digital convergence and sharing in a highly granular, bottom-up representation of appliances. We simulate changes in demand for materials and energy, assuming decent living standards for all and global warming limited to 1.5ºC. By 2050, these innovations would attenuate the increase in the number of appliances to 135% and reduce energy demand by 28%. These results demonstrate that we can provide decent living standards while advancing climate mitigation.