Decoupling transport-related greenhouse gas emissions and economic growth in the European Union countries

Original scientific paper

Journal of Sustainable Development of Energy, Water and Environment Systems
Volume 11, Issue 1, 1090411
DOI: https://doi.org/10.13044/j.sdewes.d9.0411
Jana Chovancová1 , Mária Popovičová2, Emília Huttmanová1
1 University of Prešov, Prešov, Slovakia
2 International school of management Slovakia, Prešov, Slovakia

Abstract

As the European Union declares its ambition to become the first climate-neutral continent by 2050, it is more than important to monitor and analyse developments in greenhouse gas emissions in individual sectors, including transport. The paper aims to assess the relationship between transport-related greenhouse gas emissions and the economic growth of the EU countries using the decoupling method. The results indicate that the countries achieved different stages of decoupling within the individual monitored periods, with relative decoupling (55%) and absolute decoupling (34%) being the most common. However, in the long run (20 year study period 1997-2017), only 8 countries achieved absolute (strong) decoupling, which does not seem to be sufficient in the pursuit of the EU´s ambitious climate mitigation targets.

Keywords: Decoupling analysis, EU countries, Greenhouse gas emissions, Economic growth, Decarbonisation, Transport sector

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