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Economics > General Economics

arXiv:2411.06337 (econ)
[Submitted on 10 Nov 2024 (v1), last revised 5 Nov 2025 (this
version, v2)]

Title:The labour and resource use requirements of a good life for all

Authors:Chris McElroy (1 and 2), Daniel W. O'Neill (2 and 3) ((1)
University of Vermont, (2) University of Leeds, (3) Universitat de
Barcelona)
View a PDF of the paper titled The labour and resource use
requirements of a good life for all, by Chris McElroy (1 and 2) and 3
other authors
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    Abstract:We use multi-regional input-output analysis to calculate
    the paid labour, energy, emissions, and material use required to
    provide basic needs for all people. We calculate two different
    low-consumption scenarios, using the UK as a case study: (1) a
    "decent living" scenario, which includes only the bare
    necessities, and (2) a "good life" scenario, based on the minimum
    living standards demanded by UK residents. We compare the
    resulting footprints to the current footprint of the UK, and to
    the footprints of the US, China, India, and a global average.
    Labour footprints are disaggregated by sector, skill level, and
    region of origin.
    We find that neither low-consumption scenario provides a
    realistic path to providing a good life for all. While the decent
    living scenario would require only an 18-hour working week, and
    on a per capita basis, 35 GJ of energy use, 4.0 tonnes of
    emissions, and 5.5 tonnes of materials per year, it fails to
    provide essential needs. The good life scenario encompasses these
    needs, but would require a 46-hour working week, 73 GJ of energy
    use, 7.5 tonnes of emissions, and 13.2 tonnes of materials per
    capita. Both scenarios represent substantial reductions from the
    UK's current labour footprint of 65 hours per week, which the UK
    is only able to sustain by importing a substantial portion of its
    labour from other countries. We conclude that limiting
    consumption to the level of basic needs is not enough to achieve
    sustainability. Substantial changes to provisioning systems are
    also required.

Comments:          38 pages, 5 figures, 1 table
Subjects:          General Economics (econ.GN)
Cite as:           arXiv:2411.06337 [econ.GN]
                   (or arXiv:2411.06337v2 [econ.GN] for this version)
                   https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2411.06337
                   Focus to learn more
                   arXiv-issued DOI via DataCite
Journal reference: Glob.Environ.Change 92 (2025) 103008
                   https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2025.103008
Related DOI:       Focus to learn more
                   DOI(s) linking to related resources

Submission history

From: Chris McElroy [view email]
[v1] Sun, 10 Nov 2024 02:31:29 UTC (364 KB)
[v2] Wed, 5 Nov 2025 01:11:56 UTC (823 KB)
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