KATJA TARLETON

Climate change is an overt problem to society that begs the question: can we decrease carbon emissions without destroying or negatively impacting economic growth? As the consequences of climate change become increasingly more tangible each day, policy centered around reducing the interdependence of economic growth and greenhouse gas emissions has become a widespread discussion. This study provides two separate analyses on the relationship between environmental regulation and economic growth both internationally and nationally within the United States. Using global panel data on gross domestic product per capita as the primary measurement of economic growth and carbon emissions with the incorporation of data on the advancements of renewable energy technology, environmental spending and environmentally-related tax revenue, this study analyzes whether or not investing in the advancement of emission reducing technology and increasing incentives to reduce emissions have minimized or decoupled the problematic relationship between economic growth and CO₂ emissions.