Renewable energy is already driving major economic growth around the world — yet climate skeptics continue to insist that only fossil fuels can meaningfully boost GDP. With so much misinformation circulating about the economics of energy, one climate expert is cutting through the noise with the facts.
Former U.S. climate negotiator Lia Newman (@liaandtheworld) recently posted a TikTok debunking the claim that increasing fossil fuel usage boosts a region's GDP, in turn providing economic stability and lower poverty rates.
@liaandtheworld @The Free Press and Lucy Biggers video claim "when you increase fossil fuel use, you increase GDP and that's how you lift the most people out of poverty." This misleading claim comes from a fossil fuel advocate (Alex Epstein) that distorts the fact that it's not fossil fuels that lift people out of poverty, but energy access. Decoupling of GDP and emissions is already happening, including in India, China, and other countries with the support of clean energy growth. Lucy's claim presents a false choice - development OR tackling emissions which is just not true (cough cough sustainable development is a thing). This "fossil = development" myth is outdated and misleading. #takedown #thefreepress #climate #climateaction ♬ Pieces of Memory - Carlos Carty
This claim was recently amplified in a video from The Free Press and former climate activist Lucy Biggers, which featured graphs suggesting a link between dirty energy use and increased income.
Debunking these graphs, Newman explained that they were created by fossil fuel advocate Alex Epstein, showing a clear agenda behind their framing. Addressing these claims, Newman cited a well-known scientific adage: "Correlation is not causation."
"This 'fossil [fuels] equals development' myth is outdated and misleading," Newman wrote in a caption to her video.
Newman clarified that fossil fuels themselves aren't pulling people out of poverty, despite what the graphs imply. Instead, it's what dirty energy usage represents — industrial, manufacturing, and job growth.
But that relationship is changing. Clean energy is reshaping manufacturing and industrial sectors, proving that countries can build booming economies without relying on high-pollution pathways.
Newman pointed to the rapid expansion of the clean energy sector in China and India as evidence that renewables can drive economic growth just as effectively as dirty energy sources. She added that while total emissions are still rising in many countries, emissions intensity — the amount of pollution produced per unit of GDP — has been steadily falling, meaning economies are generating more value with less pollution than before.
"This shows a decoupling that, although GDP can rise, emissions or emission intensity can drop," Newman said.
That trend is already happening in several countries. As Newman outlined, GDP is continuing to rise while dirty energy emissions drop in the U.S., the European Union, Japan, Korea, Australia, and New Zealand. There is also already divergence in GDP and dirty energy emissions in China, India, Africa, and Latin America. Newman said this divergence shows that economic growth no longer has to be tied to rising pollution.
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Absolutely 💯 "This video presents a false choice — development or tackling emissions — which is just not true," Newman said, referencing the video by The Free Press. "Don't be fooled by these points promoted by the fossil fuel industry."
In an era when misinformation spreads quickly, many of Newman's viewers said they appreciated seeing the claims fact-checked in real time.
As one commenter wrote, "Correlation is not causation is my anthem."
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