An analysis by Ars Technica, based on World Bank GDP data and Global Carbon Project emissions data, found that U.S. economic growth and fossil fuel CO2 emissions started moving in opposite directions after the 2008 financial crisis. Real GDP kept rising through the past decade and a half, while emissions from fossil fuels and industry entered a long-term decline, with only temporary swings around the pandemic. Sweden shows a similar pattern, with emissions falling by about a third from their 1996 peak while GDP more than doubled. The trend does not mean the U.S. is cutting emissions fast enough. Fossil fuel and industrial CO2 emissions were still about 4.9 billion tonnes in 2024. The article flags rising electricity demand from data centers, fossil fuel backup plants, and possible policy changes around renewables and efficiency as risks that could slow or reverse the decoupling. The full piece at Digital Today includes the underlying charts and context for anyone tracking whether economic growth can continue without rising emissions.
