Carbon dioxide emissions and global GDP

Abstract

A positive relationship between carbon dioxide emissions, the most important greenhouse gas (GHG) implicated in global warming, and GDP is shown in this paper, examining per capita income and CO2 emissions of 137 countries across 21 years. It also appears that as per capita incomes accelerate across countries emissions increases, for the most part, tend to decelerate. It could be that higher income levels lead to increased demand for environmental protection. Only emissions reduction proposals that assure incomes will not be adversely affected, particularly those of less developed countries (LDCs), will have any possibility of successful implementation.