Decoupling analysis between economic growth and carbon dioxide emission based on the panel data of major countries and areas in the World

Tapio decoupling model is used to estimate the decoupling relations between economic growth and carbon dioxide emission in sixteen major countries and areas in the world during 2005 to 2009 and durings 2010 to 2014. The investigation results show that the decoupling elasticity of the sixteen major countries and areas differs much. During 2005 to 2009, the carbon emissions decoupling state in most developed countries shows strong decoupling relation; the carbon emissions decoupling state in most developing countries shows weak decoupling state. During 2010 to 2014, the decoupling elasticity for some countries is increased because of global economic recession since 2009 caused by 2008 financial crisis. With the existing technical conditions, carbon emissions reduction will affect economic growth in a certain extent. After 2009, the countries and areas have set the stimulation of economic growth and reduction of carbon emissions as a primary goal. Carbon decoupling status in developing countries shows a good trend which is the initial effect of coping with climate change. However, the reduction of carbon emissions in the world is still severe. In the end, the paper puts forward measures and suggestions on the sixteen major carbon dioxide emissions countries and areas in the world to cope with global climate deterioration and realize the goal of carbon emissions reduction in 2020. © 2016 CAFET-INNOVA TECHNICAL SOCIETY. All rights reserved.