From Individual Choices to Collective Impact: Quantifying the Role of Behavioural Changes in Greenhouse Gas Mitigation

Abstract. Household emissions, particularly from food consumption, represent a substantial yet underutilized component of urban greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. While most research focuses on national or industrial scales, household behaviours remain underrepresented in local mitigation strategies. Addressing this gap requires approaches that account for both household choices and spatial context.

This study applies a behavioural–geospatial framework to survey data from Québec City households to quantify and spatialize diet-related GHG emissions. Meat consumption frequencies were converted into emissions using food-specific factors, and four realistic dietary scenarios were modelled at the district level.

The results reveal substantial intra-urban disparities. Districts with higher reported meat consumption exhibit significantly greater mitigation potential, independent of population size. When combined with sociodemographic indicators such as income, the analysis highlights spatial structuring of behaviours commonly perceived as private choices.

By transforming survey-based behavioural data into spatially explicit GHG information, this study expands geospatial analytics beyond infrastructure-based emissions and into the domain of lifestyle-driven carbon footprints. The proposed framework enables municipalities to identify high-potential districts, design targeted interventions, and integrate eco-conscious consumption into climate resilience and socio-ecological transition strategies.