“Top-income households’ consumption footprint is about 80% larger than the poorest’s” (JRC study)

The environmental footprint of European households is closely tied to income, according to a new report published by the Joint Research Centre (JRC) on 09 October 2026.

The report, “Carbon and environmental footprint inequality of household consumption in the EU: an updated methodological framework”, updates the DISCOH dataset (Distributional assessment of the consumption footprint of households), developed with the Commission’s DG Employment and Social Affairs (DG EMPL). The dataset links household spending to the environmental pressures of the products bought, such as carbon emissions, water use and material demand.

The JRC finds that the richest households (top 20% income earners) have a per-capita footprint about 80% greater than that of the poorest (bottom 20% income earners), though…