The Jevons Paradox and the Myth of Resource Efficiency Improvements

by John M. Polimeni, Kozo Mayumi, Mario Giampietro

�The Jevons Paradox�, which was first expressed in 1865 by William Stanley Jevons in relation to use of coal, states that an increase in efficiency in using a resource leads to increased use of that resource rather than to a reduction. This has subsequently been proved to apply not just to fossil fuels, but other resource use scenarios. For example, doubling the efficiency of food production per hectare over the last 50 years (due to the Green Revolution) did not solve the problem of hunger. The increase in efficiency increased production and worsened hunger because of the resulting increase in population. The implications of this in today�s world are substantial. Many scientists and policymakers argue that future technological innovations will reduce consumption of resources; the Jevons Paradox explains why this may be a false hope. This is the first book to provide a historical overview of the Jevons Paradox, provide evidence for its existence and apply it to complex systems. Written and edited by world experts in the fields of economics, ecological economics, technology and the environment, it explains the myth of efficiency and explores its implications for resource usage (particularly oil). It is a must-read for policymakers, natural resource managers, academics and students concerned with the effects of efficiency on resource use.

Genres: Nonfiction, Economics

200 pages, Hardcover

First published December 14, 2007

Reviews

[Jim Robles · Rating 5 out of 5]

Only the economically illiterate support Corporate Average Fuel (CAFE) standards. We have known better since 1865.

[Robert Bryce · Rating 5 out of 5]

Since I write about energy, I am always reading books about energy-related topics. Among the most interesting books of that genre that I've read lately is Jevons' Paradox and the Myth of Resource Efficiency Improvements, by John M. Polimeni, Kozo Mayumi, Mario Giampetro, and Blake Alcott. The book's thesis is spelled out on page 3, where the authors state, “We aim to show that increased energy efficiency leads to increased demand and consumption of energy.”

It's counterintuitive that efficiency increases energy use, but their book is one of numerous studies that confirm the findings of William Stanley Jevons, a British economist, who, in 1865 published a book called The Coal Question, which contains what is now known as the Jevons Paradox: “It is wholly a confusion of ideas to suppose that the economical use of fuels is equivalent to a diminished consumption. The very contrary is the truth.”

Since that time, Jevons's work has been examined and re-examined and no reputable scientist has ever refuted it. The Jevons Paradox is perhaps the most important, and yet least understood, concept in the energy business and it has profound implications for the future of the global economy.

[Vasilis · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is a particularly tough read, but an important contribution to the field of ecological economics. The in-depth analysis of the Jevons Paradox shows how misleading the current energy conservation policies might be and why we cannot afford to deal with our current energy and environmental problems by resorting to business-as-usual measures. I would have liked better connection between the different chapters, while the content could have been more accessible overall; this applies especially to chapter 3.