| Summary: | Global warming is now considered to be an established fact, and there is little doubt about the contribution of human induced carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuels to the changing climate. Global CO<sub>2</sub> emissions, including international aviation and maritime transport, grew by 50% 1971-1990, and by a further 32% 1990-2006. Carbon intensity of the economy, which can be measured by the carbon dioxide emissions per unit Gross Domestic Product, has reduced over time globally: this is the decarbonisation effect. In this paper, the world’s countries (116 individual countries and five groups of countries) have been grouped through a cluster analysis based on trends in total carbon intensity and transport carbon intensity of the economy (transport CO<sub>2</sub> emissions/GDP). Various patterns have been found, some of which are unexpected. Countries with very different GDP per capita levels have similar development patterns in total carbon intensity or transport carbon intensity. It is concluded that economic growth is neither the cause of nor the salvation for CO<sub>2</sub> emissions growth, but more subtle measures of emission control are needed for each country.
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