MAJOR SOURCES OF CARBON EMISSIONS IN THE NATIONAL ECONOMY: A SECTORAL ANALYSIS AND POLICY IMPLICATIONS

Abstract

Carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions from national economic activities represent one of the most consequential challenges of contemporary environmental governance. Despite growing scholarly attention to climate mitigation, a systematic understanding of the sectoral architecture of national carbon emissions—particularly in transitional and emerging economies—remains incomplete. This paper conducts a comprehensive, evidence-based analysis of the principal sources of carbon emissions within national economic frameworks, drawing upon empirical data, input-output modeling, and a systematic review of 98 peer-reviewed studies and institutional reports published between 2012 and 2024. The analysis identifies six dominant emission sectors: energy generation and fossil fuel combustion, industrial manufacturing and heavy industry, transport and logistics infrastructure, agriculture and land use change, waste management systems, and building and construction activities. The study further examines sector-specific emission drivers, including technological lock-in, structural economic factors, and institutional barriers to decarbonization. Findings indicate that energy and industrial sectors collectively account for approximately 62–68% of national GHG emissions across the reviewed economies, yet exhibit the greatest abatement potential through technological substitution and regulatory intervention. The paper concludes with a discussion of sector-differentiated policy instruments and proposes a national carbon accounting framework that integrates production-based and consumption-based emission perspectives.