The driving factors behind urban communities' carbon emissions in the selected urban villages of Jakarta, Indonesia

Abstract

As there is a high number of urban communities and residential activities like electricity uses, transportation, food consumption, garbage production, and knowledge on climate change and carbon emissions, these affect the resulting carbon emissions in the city. However, the studies learn about the association between household and human activities, socio-demographic characteristic, carbon emissions and climate change knowledge on urban communities carbon emissions at Jakarta are still rare. This study aimed to assess whether daily human behavior, demographic variables, climate change knowledge, and carbon emissions knowledge affecting carbon emissions of urban communities. A cross-sectional study design was performed via a structured questionnaire survey and a jejakkarbonku application towards 200 respondents who were living in the two selected urban villages of Jakarta, Indonesia (Jatinegara and East Cengkareng). The results revealed that the mean urban communities' carbon emissions in the region were 4.4 tonnes CO2 eq/th. Electricity consumption in the kitchen and dining room produced the most carbon emissions (38.6%), and waste disposal activity produced the least (0.68%). Urban carbon emissions affected by employment status and income level, but not according to food consumption, garbage production, climate change and carbon emission knowledge. Climate change and carbon emissions knowledge influenced by marital and employment status. Although not significant, in theory, these two types of knowledge contribute indirectly to carbon emissions. Further research on the low carbon diet, intervention studies to increase deep awareness on the carbon emissions and climate change is needed to develop strategies reducing carbon emissions at urban communities.