Influence of Renewable Energy Adoption on Carbon Emission Reduction in Developed Economies
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.47672/ajcs.2498Keywords:
Renewable Energy, Carbon Emission Reduction, Developed EconomiesAbstract
Purpose: The aim of the study was to assess the influence of renewable energy adoption on carbon emission reduction in developed economies.
Methodology: This study adopted a desk methodology. A desk study research design is commonly known as secondary data collection. This is basically collecting data from existing resources preferably because of its low cost advantage as compared to a field research. Our current study looked into already published studies and reports as the data was easily accessed through online journals and libraries.
Findings: The study found that increasing the share of renewable sources, such as wind, solar, and hydropower, leads to a notable decrease in greenhouse gas emissions. For instance, a report by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) found that global carbon dioxide emissions could be reduced by up to 70% by 2050 if countries transition to renewable energy systems. Furthermore, a study conducted in the European Union demonstrated that countries with higher renewable energy investments had significantly lower per capita emissions compared to those relying heavily on fossil fuels. These findings suggest that transitioning to renewable energy not only supports sustainability goals but also plays a crucial role in mitigating climate change by reducing overall carbon footprints.
Implications to Theory, Practice and Policy: Innovation diffusion theory, sustainable development theory and social practice theory may be used to anchor future studies on assessing the influence of renewable energy adoption on carbon emission reduction in developed economies. In practice, implementing robust policy frameworks is essential for stimulating investment in renewable energy technologies. Policymakers should prioritize the creation of coherent renewable energy policies across different levels of government to enhance effectiveness.
Downloads
References
Bhanja, S., & Mandal, S. (2020). Solar energy adoption and its impact on carbon emission reduction in Germany: A mixed-methods approach. Renewable Energy, 154, 255-262. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.renene.2020.03.107
Brown, T., & Caldera, U. (2023). The role of solar panel incentives in reducing carbon emissions in Australia: An econometric analysis. Renewable Energy, 218, 115-123. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.renene.2023.03.048
Dahl, A. L. (2020). The role of sustainable development in the transition to renewable energy. Sustainability, 12(8), 3234. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12083234
Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy. (2022). UK Energy Statistics. Retrieved from https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/uk-energy-in-2021
Department of Energy, Philippines. (2022). Philippine Energy Plan 2020-2040. Retrieved from https://www.doe.gov.ph/
Department of Environmental Affairs, South Africa. (2021). Greenhouse Gas Inventory for South Africa. Retrieved from https://www.environment.gov.za/reports/greenhousegasinventory
Global Carbon Project. (2022). Global Carbon Budget 2022. Earth System Science Data, 14(11), 4893-4920. https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-14-4893-2022
González, A., Anadon, L. D., & Azevedo, I. L. (2021). The role of renewable energy in reducing carbon emissions: Lessons from the United States. Energy Policy, 148, 111926. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enpol.2020.111926
International Energy Agency. (2022). World Energy Outlook 2022. https://doi.org/10.1787/0c98d7d4-en
International Renewable Energy Agency. (2022). Renewable Capacity Statistics 2022. https://www.irena.org/publications/2022/Mar/Renewable-Capacity-Statistics-2022
Jansen, K., & Kral, K. (2022). Renewable energy policy frameworks and their impact on carbon emissions in Scandinavia. Environmental Science & Policy, 128, 1-8. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envsci.2021.11.003
Kusiak, A., & Xu, Y. (2019). The impact of wind energy on carbon emissions in the United States. Journal of Cleaner Production, 218, 113-120. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2019.01.327
Li, Y., & Ouyang, Y. (2021). The impact of biomass energy adoption on carbon emissions: Evidence from the UK. Energy Policy, 149, 112027. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enpol.2021.112027
Ministry of the Environment, Japan. (2021). Green Growth Strategy through Achieving Carbon Neutrality in 2050. Retrieved from https://www.env.go.jp/en/
Pérez-López, P., Rodríguez, A., & Rodríguez, F. (2021). Factors influencing renewable energy adoption in developed countries: A systematic review. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 141, 110812. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2020.110812
Rogers, E. M. (2020). Diffusion of Innovations. Free Press.
Secretaría de Medio Ambiente y Recursos Naturales. (2021). Inventario Nacional de Gases de Efecto Invernadero 1990-2019. Retrieved from https://www.gob.mx/sedatu/acciones-y-programas/inventario-nacional-de-gases-de-efecto-invernadero-1990-2019
Shove, E. (2020). What happens to social practices? In Social Practice Theory: A Conversation Starter (pp. 95-107). https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003001577-6
U.S. Energy Information Administration. (2023). U.S. Energy Information Administration - Today in Energy: U.S. CO2 Emissions. Retrieved from https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=60039
United Nations Environment Programme. (2021). Emissions Gap Report 2021. https://www.unep.org/resources/emissions-gap-report-2021
World Resources Institute. (2021). Brazil: Country Profile. Retrieved from https://www.wri.org/data/brazil-country-profile
Xu, J., & Yang, Y. (2021). Hydroelectric power and carbon emissions in Canada: An empirical analysis. Energy Reports, 7, 151-157. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.egyr.2021.02.022
Zhang, Y., & Xie, W. (2018). The effect of renewable energy on carbon emissions: Evidence from European countries. Renewable Energy, 129, 23-30. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.renene.2018.05.012
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2024 Justus Silam
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (CC-BY) 4.0 License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgment of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.