30 Years of Data Reveals Carbon-Emissions Reduction Has Helped Drive America’s Economic Growth

A recent study looks at the factors that led to keeping greenhouse emissions in check while the economy more than doubled, and how they might drive the transition to a sustainable economy.
Related To: 
Jan. 8, 2026
2 min read

What you'll learn:

  • Over the past three decades, the U.S. population soared by 28% and the economy more than doubled while its greenhouse emissions have remained about the same.
  • A recent study explores the technical and economic factors that helped limit emissions while significantly contributing to economic growth.
  • A closer look reveals how the same factors could stimulate the rise of new industries and help accelerate the transition to a vibrant sustainable economy.
ID 219963543 © Nicoelnino | Dreamstime.com
695fbd80f675e231a2fb9473 Co2 Dreamstime L 219963543

Conventional wisdom says that efforts to reduce carbon emissions to sustainable levels would be impractical and too costly to implement. However, a recent analysis of America’s economic history indicates that it’s not only possible, but the only way to remain competitive.

The analysis, published in The Conversation, explores why America’s population has grown by 28% and the economy, as measured by gross domestic product, has more than doubled over the past 30 years. Meanwhile, greenhouse emissions have actually declined down by about 15% over the past 10 years.

The Conversation
Annual carbon emissions chart

One plausible explanation is that the economic benefits produced by adopting more efficient technologies and low-carbon energy sources appear to have more than offset their costs. This says that significant improvements in energy efficiency, from appliances to lighting, as well as transportation, played a significant role. But the major factor was the shift to natural gas and steadily growing use of solar and other renewable energy sources.

While wind power has been cost competitive with fossil fuels for at least 20 years, solar photovoltaic power has only been competitive with fossil fuels for about 10 years. As a result, the authors expect deployment of solar PV to continue to increase, both in the U.S. and internationally, even as U.S. federal subsidies disappear.

Extrapolation of the historic data seems to indicate that accelerating the decarbonization of the U.S. economy would produce greater growth by reducing energy costs and stimulating new industries. It also indicates that failing to do so might reduce the nation’s competitive position in the global economy.

About the Author

Lee Goldberg
Email

Lee Goldberg

Contributing Editor

Lee Goldberg is a self-identified “Recovering Engineer,” Maker/Hacker, Green-Tech Maven, Aviator, Gadfly, and Geek Dad. He spent the first 18 years of his career helping design microprocessors, embedded systems, renewable energy applications, and the occasional interplanetary spacecraft. After trading his ‘scope and soldering iron for a keyboard and a second career as a tech journalist, he’s spent the next two decades at several print and online engineering publications.

Lee’s current focus is power electronics, especially the technologies involved with energy efficiency, energy management, and renewable energy. This dovetails with his coverage of sustainable technologies and various environmental and social issues within the engineering community that he began in 1996. Lee also covers 3D printers, open-source hardware, and other Maker/Hacker technologies.

Lee holds a BSEE in Electrical Engineering from Thomas Edison College, and participated in a colloquium on technology, society, and the environment at Goddard College’s Institute for Social Ecology. His book, “Green Electronics/Green Bottom Line - A Commonsense Guide To Environmentally Responsible Engineering and Management,” was published by Newnes Press.

Lee, his wife Catherine, and his daughter Anwyn currently reside in the outskirts of Princeton N.J., where they masquerade as a typical suburban family.

Lee also writes the regular PowerBites series. 

Sign up for our eNewsletters
Get the latest news and updates

Related

SETI Celebrates 30 Years of Searching for Extraterrestrial Signals
A Plethora of Boards and Modules at embedded world
Smarter Sunroof Control with MPS Power ICs
Sponsored
Optimized Power for Wiper Control Systems
Sponsored

Voice Your Opinion!

To join the conversation, and become an exclusive member of Electronic Design, create an account today!