Renewables vs. Emissions: Energy Choices and Carbon Footprints
Two key measures on World Scorecard are renewable energy consumption and CO₂ emissions per capita. Renewable energy tracks the share of power from hydro, wind, solar and biomass. CO₂ per person measures annual emissions from fossil fuels and cement production, divided by population. Together, these indicators show how energy choices relate to environmental impact.
What the data shows at a glance
Across UN member states from 1949 to 2022, countries that rely more on renewables tend to have lower CO₂ emissions per person. Over the past decade, the correlation between these two indicators ranged from –0.51 to –0.60, reaching –0.60 in 2022. In that year, the average renewable share among UN members was 35.9 %, while mean CO₂ emissions per person were 3.22 t. This negative correlation indicates that higher renewable shares often accompany lower per-capita emissions. It does not show that renewables alone cause emissions to fall; economic structure, energy efficiency and income levels also matter.
Scale matters: in 2022, CO₂ per person among UN members ranged from 0.03 t in Somalia to 12.24 t in Palau, a 400-fold span that helps interpret values like 3 t or 12 t.
Two patterns in 2022
High renewables, low emissions. Several UN members pair high renewable shares with very low per-capita emissions:
- Somalia: 95.4 % renewables; 0.03 t CO₂/person.
- Liberia: 92.8 % renewables; 0.15 t.
- Uganda and the Central African Republic: each >90 % renewables; about 0.12 t and 0.05 t, respectively.
- Guinea-Bissau, Madagascar, Burundi, Rwanda, Sierra Leone and Burkina Faso: >70 % renewables; <0.30 t.
These countries lean heavily on hydropower, traditional biomass and other renewables, which aligns with very low emissions per person.
Low renewables, higher emissions. Some states with small renewable shares show higher per-capita emissions:
- Palau: renewables 0.9 %; 12.24 t CO₂/person.
- Antigua and Barbuda: 0.9 %; 6.66 t.
- Andorra: 18.7 %; 5.26 t.
- Nauru: 1.9 %; 4.76 t.
- Seychelles: 1.9 %; 4.41 t.
Small or island states often depend on imported fossil fuels. Even modest demand can yield higher per-person emissions. Renewable share is one factor among several; geographic isolation and resource endowments also shape outcomes.
How to read this relationship
The correlation is consistently negative, but it is not causal on its own. Countries with low emissions may also have lower total energy use or economies centered on less energy-intensive activities. Countries with higher emissions may have higher incomes, energy-intensive industries or limited renewable resources. Considering these factors alongside renewable shares gives a clearer picture.
Sources
- Global Carbon Budget (2024); Population based on various sources (2024) — processed by Our World in Data
- World Bank
- World Scorecard database
Explore the Rankings: Renewable Energy Consumption and CO₂ emissions per capita
Dive deeper into the data. View the complete Renewable Energy Consumption and CO₂ emissions per capita for all countries.
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