A report released Thursday by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) identifies economic expansion, particularly in emerging economies, as the primary driver behind rising global greenhouse gas emissions. The publication, titled “Climate Action Outlook 2025,” states that “economic growth is the main force behind emissions in OECD partner countries.”
Among these partner nations, major emerging economies such as China, India, and Brazil continue to see rising emissions, pushing global totals upward. Meanwhile, countries like Indonesia and South Africa have experienced slight emission reductions. The report underscores that cutting emissions is crucial to combating global warming, a goal that appears increasingly difficult to achieve. Each additional tenth of a degree in warming intensifies disruptions to biodiversity, the water cycle, and the frequency of natural disasters.
The OECD explains that in these partner countries, strong economic and population growth outpaces improvements in energy efficiency. Economists estimate that between 2015 and 2023, emissions in these nations rose by 19.3%. During this period, GDP growth alone contributed a 29.5% increase in emissions, far exceeding population growth (+5.6%) and the carbon intensity of energy production (+3.3%). Improvements in energy efficiency helped offset some of this rise, reducing emissions by 19.1%.
Despite record use of renewable energy, the carbon intensity of power generation in these countries has increased, reflecting a resurgence in coal-fired power plants. In contrast, traditional OECD economies—long reliant on industrial activity—have managed to reduce emissions by enhancing energy efficiency and shifting to cleaner energy sources, even as their economies and populations grow.
Between 2015 and 2023, emissions in established OECD nations dropped by 11.3%. The organization emphasizes that this trend demonstrates both the feasibility and necessity of lowering emissions in partner countries, including through international cooperation to accelerate decarbonization of energy systems amid ongoing economic growth.
— News Original —
A report issued by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development published Thursday concluded that growth, especially in emerging economies, is the main driver behind rising global greenhouse gas emissions.
The organization, which brings together wealthy nations, stated in its report titled “Climate Action Outlook 2025,” that “economic growth is the driver of emissions in OECD partner countries.”
Among these “partner countries,” major emerging economies whose emissions continue to rise are pushing overall global emissions upward, including China, India, and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, while other countries see a slight decline in emissions, such as Brazil, Indonesia, and South Africa.
Reducing emissions is essential to combat warming, an outcome that seems increasingly unlikely. Each additional tenth of a degree Celsius in warming brings a host of disruptions to biodiversity, the water cycle, and natural disasters.
The OECD explained that “population growth and strong economic growth in these partner countries exceed the level of improvements in energy efficiency.”
OECD economists estimate that between 2015 and 2023 in these countries, where emissions increased by 19.3% during this period, GDP growth alone caused a 29.5% rise in emissions, far exceeding population growth (+5.6%) and greenhouse gas intensity in energy production (+3.3%), while improvements in energy efficiency limit emissions (-19.1%).
The organization noted that “despite record use of renewable energy, greenhouse gas intensity in energy production has increased in these countries, reflecting a resurgence of coal-fired power plants.”
According to the report, OECD countries, with economies long dependent on industry, “reduced their emissions through improved energy efficiency and a shift to cleaner energy sources, alongside continued economic and population growth.”
Between 2015 and 2023, emissions from these countries fell by 11.3%.
The organization pointed out that “this trend highlights the possibility and necessity of reducing emissions in OECD partner countries, including through international cooperation to accelerate the decarbonization of energy systems amid the economic growth these countries are experiencing.”
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