what is jevons paradox?

The Jevons paradox occurs when technological progress increases the efficiency with which a resource is used, but the rate of consumption of that resource rises rather than falls.

It is named after the economist William Stanley Jevons, who observed in 1865 that improvements in steam engine efficiency led to an increase—not a decrease—in coal consumption. Because the engines became more efficient, coal became cheaper to use, making it more profitable to expand industrial activities, which ultimately demanded more coal than before.

In essence, when a resource becomes more efficient and cheaper, demand for it often increases to a point that offsets the efficiency gains, resulting in higher overall consumption.