Romania transitioning to green energy

Decoding Romania's Carbon Footprint: What the Numbers Reveal About Energy and Emissions

Jordan Keane in Climate & Environment December 2025 • 4 min read.

"A deep dive into how energy use, economic shifts, and policy changes are shaping Romania's CO2 emissions landscape and what it means for a sustainable future."

Carbon emissions have emerged as critical indicators of climate change, sparking global discussions. The increasing reliance on fossil fuels for economic advancement, coupled with the challenge of reducing carbon emissions, presents a significant global dilemma. Understanding the dynamics of these emissions is crucial for shaping effective climate policies and sustainable practices.

This article examines the driving forces behind carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from Romania's energy sector between 2008 and 2022. By employing the log mean Divisia index (LMDI) method, this analysis considers factors such as energy consumption, economic output, and population, offering insights into how these elements interact to influence Romania's carbon footprint.

Drawing from a research paper titled 'A Logarithmic Mean Divisia Index Decomposition of CO2 Emissions from Energy Use in Romania,' this article simplifies complex data to reveal actionable insights. It aims to break down the intricate relationship between energy use and emissions, making it accessible to a broader audience interested in environmental sustainability and policy.

Romania's Carbon Emissions Trend: A Closer Look

Between 2008 and 2022, Romania saw a noteworthy decrease in CO2 emissions resulting from economic activities. Starting at 95,224.62 Gg tons in 2008, emissions dropped to 58,638.12 tons in 2022. This represents a 38.42% reduction during the period analyzed. The importance of this reduction is because, in 2007, Romania became part of the European Union, which meant that the EU started to impose restrictions on the amount of CO2 that the main economic activities could generate, especially the ones in the industrial sector. This overall decrease shows progress, but understanding what drove these changes requires a deeper analysis.

Several factors contributed to this shift in emissions, each playing a unique role. The study attributes changes in CO2 emissions to five key influences:

Carbon Intensity (ΔΙ): Measures the CO2 emission per unit of fossil energy.
Energy Mixes (ΔΜ): Reflects the share of fossil energy in total energy consumption.
Generating Efficiency (∆L): Represents the level of consumption per GDP value.
Economy (AB): Indicates the contribution of GDP per population.
Population (ΔΡ): Captures the impact of population size on emissions.

These factors were analyzed using the Log Mean Divisia Index (LMDI) method, which helps to break down the overall change in emissions into the contributions of each individual factor. Understanding these contributions is essential for creating effective strategies to further reduce emissions.

Key Takeaways and Future Directions

This analysis underscores the complex interplay of factors influencing Romania's CO2 emissions. While economic progress has been a significant driver of increased emissions, improvements in energy efficiency and shifts towards cleaner energy sources have helped to mitigate this impact. By continuing to prioritize sustainable practices and policies, Romania can further reduce its carbon footprint and contribute to global climate goals. Future studies should focus on more comprehensive analyses of environmental and economic benefits to encourage economic progress with low carbon emissions, especially in the context of climate neutrality.

About this Article -

This article was crafted using a human-AI hybrid and collaborative approach. AI assisted our team with initial drafting, research insights, identifying key questions, and image generation. Our human editors guided topic selection, defined the angle, structured the content, ensured factual accuracy and relevance, refined the tone, and conducted thorough editing to deliver helpful, high-quality information.See our About page for more information.

This article is based on research published under:

DOI-LINK: https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2403.04354,

Title: A Logarithmic Mean Divisia Index Decomposition Of Co$_2$ Emissions From Energy Use In Romania

Subject: econ.em

Authors: Mariana Carmelia Balanica-Dragomir, Gabriel Murariu, Lucian Puiu Georgescu

Published: 07-03-2024

Everything You Need To Know

What specific factors influenced the decrease in CO2 emissions in Romania between 2008 and 2022?

The decrease in CO2 emissions in Romania between 2008 and 2022 was influenced by several key factors. These include Carbon Intensity (ΔΙ), which measures emissions per unit of fossil energy; changes in Energy Mixes (ΔΜ), which reflect the share of fossil energy; Generating Efficiency (∆L) representing the consumption per GDP value; Economy (AB), indicating the contribution of GDP per population; and Population (ΔΡ), capturing the impact of population size. These factors were analyzed using the Log Mean Divisia Index (LMDI) method to understand their individual contributions to the overall emission changes.

How did Romania's entry into the European Union in 2007 impact its CO2 emissions, and what changes were observed?

Romania's entry into the European Union in 2007 played a significant role in shaping its CO2 emissions. As part of the EU, Romania was subjected to restrictions on the amount of CO2 its main economic activities, especially in the industrial sector, could generate. This led to a noteworthy decrease in CO2 emissions, with emissions dropping from 95,224.62 Gg tons in 2008 to 58,638.12 tons in 2022. This represents a 38.42% reduction during the period analyzed.

What is the Log Mean Divisia Index (LMDI) method, and how was it used in the context of Romania's CO2 emissions?

The Log Mean Divisia Index (LMDI) method is a decomposition technique used to break down the overall change in CO2 emissions into the contributions of various factors. In the context of Romania's CO2 emissions between 2008 and 2022, the LMDI method was employed to analyze the impact of factors such as Carbon Intensity (ΔΙ), Energy Mixes (ΔΜ), Generating Efficiency (∆L), Economy (AB), and Population (ΔΡ). By using the LMDI method, researchers could determine how each factor individually affected the total emissions, providing a detailed understanding of the driving forces behind emission changes.

What are the implications of 'Carbon Intensity' and 'Generating Efficiency' in reducing Romania's carbon footprint?

Carbon Intensity (ΔΙ) and Generating Efficiency (∆L) are crucial factors in reducing Romania's carbon footprint. Carbon Intensity reflects the CO2 emissions per unit of fossil energy used; decreasing it means using less CO2 per unit of energy, possibly through improved technologies or fuel choices. Generating Efficiency (∆L) represents the energy consumption per unit of GDP value. Improving generating efficiency implies using less energy to produce the same economic output. Both suggest more effective ways to reduce emissions. By focusing on these factors, Romania can reduce its reliance on fossil fuels and promote sustainable practices to achieve its climate goals.

Beyond the period of 2008-2022, what future directions should Romania consider to further reduce its CO2 emissions and achieve climate neutrality?

To further reduce CO2 emissions and move towards climate neutrality, Romania should focus on several future directions. The article highlights the need for more comprehensive analyses of environmental and economic benefits. This includes continued improvements in energy efficiency, and shifts towards cleaner energy sources, such as renewables. Furthermore, strategies should consider the interplay of economic progress, sustainable practices, and effective climate policies. Future studies should also focus on the impact of Carbon Intensity (ΔΙ), Energy Mixes (ΔΜ), Generating Efficiency (∆L), Economy (AB), and Population (ΔΡ) to ensure that they are aligned with national climate goals.