CO2 intensity and GDP per capita
International Journal of Energy Sector Management
ISSN: 1750-6220
Article publication date: 31 October 2019
Issue publication date: 11 February 2020
Abstract
Purpose
To investigate whether CO2 intensity falls at a diminishing rate as countries grow richer.
Design/methodology/approach
Regression of CO2 intensity on the gross domestic product (GDP) per capita, including squared and cubic terms, for a panel of countries and individual countries.
Findings
CO2 intensity falls at a diminishing rate as countries grow richer.
Originality/value
Many studies have found that CO2 intensity falls with GDP per capita, but whether it does so at a diminishing rate has not been investigated. This result suggests that structural changes in GDP (more services) as countries get richer will provide little or no help toward decarbonization. It is shown that the extraction of minerals critical for industrial production has increased on par with real GDP. This could explain why CO2 emissions fall at a diminishing rate.
Keywords
Citation
Hannesson, R. (2020), "CO2 intensity and GDP per capita", International Journal of Energy Sector Management, Vol. 14 No. 2, pp. 372-388. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJESM-02-2019-0011
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2019, Emerald Publishing Limited