Global energy intensity, defined as worldwide total energy consumption divided by gross world product, decreased 0.19 percent in 2013. Although this may not seem impressive, considering that energy intensity increased steeply between 2008 and 2010, this small decline continues a much-needed trend toward lower energy intensity, writes Haibing Ma, China Program Manager at the Worldwatch Institute.

1. Vital Signs
Global Energy and
Carbon Intensity
Continue to Decline

2. TEXT HERE
Global energy intensity, defined
as worldwide total energy
consumption divided by gross
world product, decreased 0.19%
in 2013
World Bank, GDP Indicators (in 2005 U.S. dollars), at
data.worldbank.org/indicator/NY.GDP.MKTP.KD; BP, Statistic Review of
World Energy 2014 (London: 2014).

3. Though a 0.19% decrease may not seem impressive,
energy intensity increased steeply from 2008-2010.
This small decline indicates the start of a much
needed trend toward lower energy intensity.
World Bank, GDP Indicators (in 2005 U.S. dollars), at data.worldbank.org/indicator/NY.GDP.MKTP.KD; BP, Statistic Review of World
Energy 2014 (London: 2014).

4. TEXT HERE
In the 1990s, industrial nations transferred
their heavy industries to emerging
economies, causing the energy intensity in
those countries to rise. On a global scale,
this was offset and energy intensity
continued to decrease
World Bank, GDP Indicators (in 2005 U.S. dollars), at data.worldbank.org/indicator
/NY.GDP.MKTP.KD; BP, Statistic Review of World Energy 2014 (London: 2014).

5. TEXT HERE
In the early 2000s, large emerging
economies started investing heavily in
energy-intensive sectors, causing the
global energy intensity figure to
increase
World Bank, GDP Indicators (in 2005 U.S. dollars), at data.worldbank.org/indicator
/NY.GDP.MKTP.KD; BP, Statistic Review of World Energy 2014 (London: 2014).

6. TEXT HERE
Due to the global financial crisis in 2008,
countries implemented massive stimulus
packages, focusing on energy-intensive
sectors like manufacturing, construction,
and infrastructure. This also caused the
global energy intensity figure to increase.
World Bank, GDP Indicators (in 2005 U.S. dollars), at
data.worldbank.org/indicator/NY.GDP.MKTP.KD; BP, Statistic
Review of World Energy 2014 (London: 2014).

7. TEXT HERE
Advanced economies like the United
States and Germany have followed the
global trend of declining energy
intensity
World Bank, GDP Indicators (in 2005 U.S. dollars), at data.worldbank.org/indicator
/NY.GDP.MKTP.KD; BP, Statistic Review of World Energy 2014 (London: 2014).

8. TEXT HERE
The most turbulent trends
were seen in newly
industrialized and transitional
countries.

9. TEXT HERE
Carbon intensity is defined as
total emissions of carbon
dioxide divided by gross
world product.

10. TEXT HERE
Global carbon intensity has
followed the same general pattern
as energy intensity, dropping in the
1990s and increasing between 2002
and 2004
Global Carbon Atlas, at www.globalcarbonatlas.org/?q=en/emissions
World Bank, GDP Indicators (in 2011 international dollars), at data.worldbank.org/indicator
/NY.GDP.MKTP.PP.KD

11. TEXT HERE
Advanced economies show a
steadier declining trend in carbon
intensity than newly industrialized
and transitional countries

12. TEXT HERE
In 2006, China surpassed the United
States as the world’s largest CO2
emitter, but their government has
since been taking aggressive efforts
to slow their CO2 emissions.
"China Overtakes US as World's Biggest CO2 Emitter," (London) Guardian, 19 June 2007.
National Development and Reform Commission, "Climate Policies and Actions in
China 2014 Annual Report" (in Mandarin Chinese), November 2014.

13. Full analysis, sources,
and data available at:
http://bit.ly/1AiAkiK

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