IPAT, Emissions Drivers & Economic Growth

Technology Alone Won’t Solve Climate Change

Authors

  • Mansieve Mahmood Thompson Rivers University

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.29173/bcelnfe777

Keywords:

IPAT identity, greenhouse gas emissions, economic growth and emissions, carbon intensity, climate change mitigation, rebound effect, technology and decarbonization, population and consumption, climate policy

Author Biography

Mansieve Mahmood, Thompson Rivers University

Mansieve Mahmood is a 4th-year Economics student from Dhaka, Bangladesh, pursuing a bachelor’s degree in business administration at Thompson Rivers University. His academic interests lie in global economics, trade, and international development. He is particularly interested in the intersection of commerce, policy, and economic growth in the modern global economy, as well as in their relations in a historical context. 

References

Brännlund, R., Ghalwash, T., & Nordström, J. (2007). Increased energy efficiency and the rebound effect: Effects on consumption and emissions. Energy Economics, 29(1), 1–17. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eneco.2005.05.002

Cap, S., de Koning, A., Tukker, A., & Scherer, L. (2024). (In)sufficiency of industrial decarbonization to reducehousehold carbon footprints to 1.5°C-compatible levels. Sustainable Production and Consumption, 45, 216–227. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.spc.2023.12.031

Ehrlich, P. R., & Holdren, J. P. (1971). Impact of population growth. Science, 171(3977), 1212–1217. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.171.3977.1212

Chertow, M. (2001). The IPAT equation and its variants. Journal of Industrial Ecology, 4(4), 13–29. https://doi.org/10.1162/10881980052541927

Government of Canada. (2021). Clean technology: Targeted regulatory review – Regulatory roadmap. https://natural-resources.canada.ca/corporate/transparency/clean-technology-targeted-regulatory-review-regulatory-roadmap

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. (2022). Climate Change 2022: Mitigation of climate change. Summary for policymakers. https://www.ipcc.ch/report/ar6/wg3/downloads/report/IPCC_AR6_WGIII_SPM.pdf

World Bank. (2024). Carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions excluding LULUCF per capita (tCO₂/capita). https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/EN.GHG.CO2.PC.CE.AR5

Cover image with title: Perspectives on the economics of Climate Change. Special Issue, March 2026, Online ISSN: 2819-7046. Background image taken by Peter Tsigaris of the University of Auckland campus.

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Published

2026-03-17

How to Cite

Mahmood, M. (2026). IPAT, Emissions Drivers & Economic Growth: Technology Alone Won’t Solve Climate Change. Future Earth: A Student Journal on Sustainability and Environment. https://doi.org/10.29173/bcelnfe777

Issue

2026: Special Issue: Perspectives on the Economics of Climate Change

Section

Commentaries and Opinions

Categories

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Copyright (c) 2026 Future Earth: A Student Journal on Sustainability and Environment

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