🌅 The World Is Cutting Carbon Emissions While Growing Economically

SOURCE

Energy & Climate Intelligence Unit

WHAT TO KNOW

• A new analysis by the Energy & Climate Intelligence Unit found countries representing 92% of global GDP have absolutely or relatively decoupled economic growth from carbon emissions over the past decade, up from 77% in the decade prior. Absolute decoupling occurs when a country decreases emissions while still expanding its economy. Relative decoupling means emissions are still increasing, but at a slower rate than economic growth.

WHY IT MATTERS

• The authors say the findings show decoupling growth from emissions has become the norm rather than the exception, suggesting that while carbon emissions continue to rise globally, they’re doing so at a much slower rate than a decade ago. Absolute decoupling has also become widespread across advanced economies, with 43 countries completely decoupling growth from emissions over the past decade, including the U.S. and most of Europe. Together, these countries account for 46% of global GDP and 36% of all global emissions.

CONNECT THE DOTS

• The report compares the past decade (2016-2025) to the decade prior to the signing of the 2015 Paris Agreement (2006-2015), finding that while global totals indeed matter the most and show emissions continue to rise, the structural shift “under the hood” is unmistakable and ongoing. Climate solutions like solar and wind have outperformed industry expectations many times over, while more people today work in clean energy jobs than those related to oil, gas, or coal, and investment in renewables is nearly double that of fossil fuels.