Carbon Emission from Domestic Level Consumption: Ecological Footprint Account of Dhanmondi Residential Area, Dhaka, Bangladesh – A Case Study

Abstract

Background: Ecological Footprint assessment helps to identify what activities are having the biggest impact on nature and opens up possibilities to reduce our impact and live within the means of ‘one planet’. It provides measurement of collective consumption of the population whether they are exceeding the earth’s ecological limits or not. The introduction of ecological footprint has been very necessary for the context of Bangladesh especially in Dhaka, where the unplanned consumption pattern of the population is producing a very unsustainable situation.

Objective: This study intends to introduce this new concept through calculating the Ecological Footprint Account (usually 90% of it consists with Carbon Footprint/Emission Account) of the prestigious residential area Dhanmondi, which is one of the major resource consuming area of Dhaka city.

Method: A blending of ‘component’ and ‘direct’ method has been used. Questionnaire survey (in 240 HH) has been conducted to gather information about the consumption pattern for different components (i.e. energy, food, service etc.) in the households for the year 2011. Biocapacity of Dhanmondi RA is also measured from the bioproductive lands available within the area. Following the generated results, sustainability analysis has been done.

Results: An enormous gap between demand (1.19 global hectare/person) and supply (0.02 global hectare/person) of natural resources has been observed from the scrutiny. Conclusion: Natural gas consumption for domestic purpose has been found as the main motive behind the high footprint figure compared to the national average followed by Electricity, Food and Transportation. Biocapacity has been discovered as very petite amount because of unplanned urban agglomeration.

Keywords: Ecological Footprint, Biocapacity, Component Method, Ecological Overshoot, Environmental Sustainability, Carbon Emission, Household Consumption, Dhanmondi Residential Area, Dhaka, Bangladesh