Jevons Paradox says that energy
efficiency measures lead to an increase in energy use and not, as expected, to
a reduction. The same paradox applies to efforts to conserve energy. Those that
try to conserve energy by walking to
work or line-dry their clothes may feel satisfaction,
but their efforts are probably in vain: the
energy saved will promptly be used by
others, especially as saving energy causes it to become cheaper. This CLD tries to illustrate the dynamic that
operates behind the paradox.
Please note that Tim Garrett, an atmospheric
scientist, recently confirmed the validity of the Jevons Paradox which had already been proposed in 1865.