Renewable Energy Consumption and CO₂ Emissions: A Comparative Study of China, Germany, India, Japan, and the United States (1990–2019)

Author

S.D. Rajwanshi, P.R Kohle, V.D. Jadhav, A.R. Patil


Abstract

 The increasing concentration of carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions has intensified global concerns regarding climate change, highlighting the importance of renewable energy in achieving sustainable development. This study examined the relationship between the share of renewable energy consumption and CO₂ emissions in China, Germany, India, Japan, and the United States during 1990–2019. Secondary data were obtained from the World Bank's World Development Indicators (WDI) database. Renewable energy consumption was measured as the percentage of total final energy consumption, while CO₂ emissions were expressed in kilotonnes (kt). Statistical analyses, including trend analysis, descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, simple linear regression, and percentage change analysis, were conducted using Microsoft Excel 2021. The results indicated that Germany, Japan, and the United States increased their renewable energy share, whereas China and India experienced declines in the renewable energy share over the study period. China and India showed substantial increases in CO₂ emissions, while Germany recorded a significant reduction. Strong negative correlations were observed for China (r = –0.957), Germany (r = –0.939), and India (r = –0.978), whereas weaker relationships were found for Japan and the United States. The findings demonstrate that the relationship between renewable energy share and CO₂ emissions varies across countries and is influenced by broader economic and energy-system factors, providing useful insights for sustainable energy policy and future research.


Keywords

Renewable energy consumption, CO₂ emissions, World Bank, Pearson correlation, linear regression, Sustainable energy, Climate change.



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