Economic Analysis of Fossil CO 2 Emissions: A European Perspective on Sustainable Development

Alina Yakymchuk () and Małgorzata Agnieszka Rataj
Additional contact information
Alina Yakymchuk: Department of Management, University of Information Technologies and Management, 35-225 Rzeszów, Poland
Małgorzata Agnieszka Rataj: Department of Cognitive Science and Mathematical Modeling, University of Information Technologies and Management, 35-225 Rzeszów, Poland

Energies, 2025, vol. 18, issue 8, 1-20

Abstract: The economic assessment of CO 2 emissions from fossil fuels is gaining importance in the context of sustainable development. Climate change, driven by excessive greenhouse gas emissions, poses a significant threat to humanity, requiring an integrated approach that considers both environmental and economic factors. The European Union (EU) plays a key role in global efforts to reduce CO 2 emissions and promote sustainability. This study explores economic approaches to analyzing CO 2 emissions in Europe, focusing on trends in fossil fuel use and their economic drivers. The research highlights the connection between economic activity, energy consumption, and emissions, contributing to a better understanding of climate change mitigation strategies. The findings emphasize the strong influence of demographic factors on carbon emissions, stressing the need for targeted policies to address the environmental impact of population growth. This study presents a literature-based assessment of CO 2 emissions from fossil fuel consumption in the context of sustainable development, with a focus on Europe. Recognizing the urgent threat posed by climate change, the paper explores how economic and demographic factors influence emissions trends and energy consumption. Through the synthesis of recent research and statistical data, it examines the relationship between economic activity and CO 2 emissions across EU countries. Special attention is given to national policy frameworks, particularly Germany’s “Energiewende”, as a successful example of emission reduction through building-sector reform. The study highlights that while economic growth remains a driver of emissions, strategic investments in renewable energy, energy efficiency, and sectoral transformation can decouple growth from environmental degradation. The findings support the need for country-specific mitigation strategies, emphasizing that uniform approaches may not address the diverse challenges faced by EU member states. This work contributes to the broader understanding of climate policy design by linking empirical evidence with policy implications in the transition to a low-carbon economy.

Keywords: CO 2; energy economics; population; carbon emissions (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/18/8/2106/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/18/8/2106/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jeners:v:18:y:2025:i:8:p:2106-:d:1637959

Access Statistics for this article

Energies is currently edited by Ms. Agatha Cao

More articles in Energies from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().