china has shown the opposite relationship, as, after 2000, it has consumed proportionately more energy to achieve its high double-digit growth rate. although there are problems with the quality of the estimates of both gdp and energy consumption, by 2003-4 observers placed chinese energy elasticity at approximately 1.5. for every one percent increase in gdp, energy demand grew by 1.5 percent. much of this extra demand has been sourced internationally from fossil fuels, such as coal and petroleum.