Social influences on demand-side measures for climate change mitigation in Urban India

Speaker: Anjali Ramakrishnan

Do we associate a status symbol with the choice of travel mode? Does our social network influence our energy choices? How do daily practices and preferences shape our demand for home appliances? Demand-side solutions, through nudges and behavioural shifts, and have fewer environmental risks compared to supply-side technologies, and are more closely associated with co-benefits of health, security, living standards and equity. Social dynamics, social structures and behavioural patterns play a crucial role in determining household energy demand. Using the Indian Human Development Survey (IHDS)) data from 2004-05 and 2011- 12, we examine energy consumption trends through car and appliance ownership for urban Indian households. While socio-economic and demographic determinants remain important, “status perception” emerges as an equally crucial dimension in understanding the asset ownership decisions among urban households. Towards answering above questions, we conducted a primary household survey of nearly 500 household in Ahmedabad in July 2019. Covering 12 wards across all 6 zones, we seek to uncover the social and behavioural factors that drive transport and appliance choice and use. The data is focused to capture status-based consumption. We present the survey process and preliminary results.