Exploring the Transition to Low-Carbon Energy: A Comparative Analysis of Population, Economic Growth, and Energy Consumption in Oil-Producing OECD and BRICS Nations

Kathleen Marshall Park (), Natasya Liew, Sarthak Pattnaik, Ali Ozcan Kures and Eugene Pinsky
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Kathleen Marshall Park: Department of Administrative Sciences, Metropolitan College, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
Natasya Liew: Department of Computer Science, Metropolitan College, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
Sarthak Pattnaik: Department of Computer Science, Metropolitan College, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
Ali Ozcan Kures: Department of Computer Science, Metropolitan College, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
Eugene Pinsky: Department of Computer Science, Metropolitan College, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA

Sustainability, 2025, vol. 17, issue 13, 1-24

Abstract: Considering the United Nations Climate Change Accord and insights from the OECD Global Material Resources Outlook to 2060, this study explores the intricate interrelationships of population growth, economic expansion, energy consumption, and carbon emissions in key OECD and BRICS countries. With the global economy heavily reliant on fossil fuels—the primary drivers of carbon emissions—we examine historic and projected energy use trends in developed and emerging economies. Through a combination of exploratory data analysis and ARIMA-based statistical forecasting, we investigate the relationships among GDP growth, energy use, and emissions, drawing distinctions between OECD and BRICS nations. Our findings reveal that, while developed economies demonstrate declining energy use, emerging markets show an upsurge in usage tied to economic growth. This research presents a compelling case for transitioning to a low-carbon future, drawing on renewable energy sources and proposing a roadmap to achieve both economic resilience and environmental sustainability. Our work serves as a call to action for policy-driven, cleaner energy investments to curb emissions and safeguard the planet.

Keywords: economic growth; energy consumption; carbon emissions; OECD; BRICS; sustainable; energy; sustainable economy; time-series forecasting; low-carbon energy; renewable energy (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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