page_title: Rebound effect (conservation)
section_title: Indirect effects from conservation
hierarchical_section_title: Rebound effect (conservation) / Types of effects / Indirect effects from conservation
caption_attribution_description: Italiano: Cambiamento delle scelte economiche di una famiglia come effetto indiretto del risparmio
context_page_description: In conservation and energy economics, the rebound effect is the reduction in expected gains from new technologies that increase the efficiency of resource use, because of behavioral or other systemic responses. These responses usually tend to offset the beneficial effects of the new technology or other measures taken.
  While the literature on the rebound effect generally focuses on the effect of technological improvements on energy consumption, the theory can also be applied to the use of any natural resource or other input, such as labor. The rebound effect is generally expressed as a ratio of the lost benefit compared to the expected environmental benefit when holding consumption constant.
  For instance, if a 5% improvement in vehicle fuel efficiency results in only a 2% drop in fuel use, there is a 60% rebound effect. The 'missing' 3% might have been consumed by driving faster or further than before.
  The existence of the rebound effect is uncontroversial. However, debate continues as to the magnitude and impact of the effect in real world situations.
  Depending on the magnitude of the rebound effect, there are five different rebound effect types:
context_section_description: For conservation measures, indirect effects closely approximate the total economy-wide effect.  Conservation measures constitute a change in consumption patterns away from particular targeted goods towards other goods. Figure 2 shows that a change in preference of a household results in a new consumption pattern that has less of the target good (QT to QT'), and more of all other goods (QO to QO').  The resource consumption or externalities embodied in this other consumption is the indirect effect.
  Although a persuasive view has prevailed that indirect effects with respect to energy and greenhouse emissions should be very small due to energy directly comprising only a small component of household expenditure, this view is gradually being eroded.  Many recent studies based on life-cycle analysis show the energy consumed indirectly by households is often higher than consumed directly through electricity, gas, and motor fuel, and is a growing proportion. This is evident in the results of recent studies that indicate indirect effects from household conservation can range from 10% to 200% depending on the scenario, with higher indirect rebounds from diet changes aiming to reduce food miles.
caption: Figure2: change in preferences of a household revealing indirect effects from conservation
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