Single-Person Household and Greenhouse Gas Emission: Evidence from South Korea

Abstract This study examines the relationship between single-person households and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in South Korea, with a particular focus on emissions originating from the residential sector, categorized by electricity, gas, and heating usage. Utilizing municipal-level panel data from 2015 to 2022, we apply a two-way fixed-effects instrumental variable estimation to analyze the impact of single-person households on per capita GHG emissions. Our findings indicate that an increase in the proportion of single-person households in metropolitan areas significantly reduces per capita GHG emissions. Heterogeneity analysis further reveals that this relationship is influenced by factors such as energy sources, age, gender, and housing type. Notably, single-person households residing in small-sized dwellings exhibit substantial reductions in emissions, highlighting the role of economies of scale in shared residential spaces. These findings suggest that promoting energy-efficient housing for single-person households in urban areas can contribute to GHG emissions reduction, with targeted interventions for different demographic groups enhancing sustainability efforts.