CO2 emissions in relation to gross domestic product and population, 1990-1999
| Emissions of CO2 as a result of the consumption of fossil fuels | ||||||
| total | change | per unit | change | per capita | change | |
| 1990-1999 | GDP1) | 1990-1999 | 1990-1999 | |||
| billion kg | % | tons/1 000 euro | % | tons/capita | % | |
| Netherlands | 167 | 7 | 0.486 | -16 | 10.6 | 1 |
| EU-15 | ||||||
| Belgium | 119 | 12 | 0.534 | -5 | 11.6 | 9 |
| Denmark | 53 | 6 | 0.439 | -13 | 10.0 | 2 |
| Germany | 822 | -15 | 0.488 | -27 | 10.0 | -18 |
| Finland | 58 | 9 | 0.547 | -7 | 11.2 | 6 |
| France | 361 | -1 | 0.301 | -14 | 6.2 | -4 |
| Greece | 82 | 19 | 0.592 | -2 | 7.8 | 14 |
| Great Britain | 535 | -6 | 0.479 | -23 | 9.0 | -10 |
| Ireland | 40 | 25 | 0.468 | -31 | 10.7 | 17 |
| Italy | 421 | 6 | 0.377 | -7 | 7.3 | 4 |
| Luxembourg | 7 | -30 | 0.444 | -58 | 16.2 | -38 |
| Austria | 61 | 7 | 0.352 | -12 | 7.5 | 2 |
| Portugal | 61 | 53 | 0.423 | 20 | 6.1 | 51 |
| Spain | 272 | 28 | 0.433 | 3 | 6.9 | 26 |
| Sweden | 48 | -2 | 0.268 | -15 | 6.7 | -8 |
| United States | 5 585 | 15 | 0.707 | -13 | 20.5 | 6 |
| Japan | 1 158 | 10 | 0.412 | -2 | 9.1 | 8 |
| Source: OECD, RIVM, Statistics Netherlands. | CBS/EDC/Oct02 | |||||
| 1) Euro value for 1999. | ||||||
CO2 emissions and GDP
Although there are major variations between the various countries in the trends for emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2), a large number of countries have managed to stop current CO2 emissions from increasing as quickly as gross domestic product (GDP). This is generally a result of structural changes in the national economy and energy conservation.
Notes on unlinking economic growth and emissions
An unequal increase in economic growth and the emissions of CO2 indicates a policy in which attempts are being made to reform economic activities in such a way that the emissions of CO2 released during those activities (combustion or process emissions) increase less or even fall. This is known as the 'unlinking' of economic growth and emissions.
References
- OECD (2002). OECD Environmental Data Compendium 2001. OECD, Paris.
Relevant sections and indicators in the Environmental Data Compendium
- Global carbon dioxide emissions, 1970-2001
- Carbon dioxide emissions in the Netherlands by target sector, 1990-2002
- Dutch CO2 emissions explained, 1990-2002*
Relevant information outside of the Environmental Data Compendium
- More international environmental data can be found in the Environmental Data Compendium 2001 of the OECD.
