Studying development in a climate change context, it is important to analyse the implications of development on GDP growth, expenditure and resulting emissions. Use the IRADe LCDS (low carbon strategy for development) activity analysis model to analyse this issue. Results show that our Visionary Development scenario, including poverty alleviation and reaching the level of ‘high human development’ countries by 2050 for indicators like life expectancy at birth, infant mortality rate, mean years of schooling, universal access to water and sanitation, durable housing and clean cooking fuel, are possible with a step up in government expenditure, proper reallocation of resources, and good governance. It can be done with the similar high GDP growth rate achieved in the Dynamics as Usual scenario, and with an increase in CO2 emissions similar to the level of CO2 emissions in that scenario.