New European Commission report analyzes links between demographics and climate change

The Commission’s Joint Research Center (JRC) has today published a new report entitled “Demography and Climate Change – The EU in the Global Context”.

The report shows that population growth remains one of the main drivers of emissions. But there is a wide divergence in the relationship between population growth rates and greenhouse gas emission levels in different countries. The main emitters are those regions where population growth has already stopped or slowed. Meanwhile, most of the world’s population growth is occurring in the regions of the world that currently have the lowest emissions and are therefore less responsible for the emissions produced in the past. This means that the major emitters will need to ensure a significant and rapid reduction in their emissions, while countries with low emissions but high population growth need support to find ways to grow in a way that avoids a significant increase in emissions.

Demography and climate change

The report also highlights the need to promote policies that take into account the challenges and solutions for different population and age groups, such as the elderly and people on low incomes, and proposes ways to mitigate the impact on vulnerable demographic groups and support to create measures to adapt these changes to the EU’s Climate Change Adaptation Strategy.

The report, which is part of the Commission’s efforts to integrate the demographic vision into EU policy making, provides scientific evidence on the implications of global population growth for emissions and explores the potential consequences of an aging population in Europe for the achievement of EU climate objectives.

More information: European Commission