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The study attempts to analyse the impact of different economic activities on environment and test the validity of environmental Kuznets Curve(EKC) for countries with different income groups by constructing an environmental degradation index measured in terms of carbon-dioxide(CO2),methane(CH4),nitrous-oxide(N2O) and other greenhouse gases(OGHG) emissions by countries across the world. The index is used as an indicator of environmental degradation. The study also measures efficiency of the countries for attaining maximum possible output with minimum possible emission and compares it with resource efficiency. Findings reveal that higher industrial share has positive impact on greenhouse gas emission while higher agricultural share has negative impact. The study shows N-shaped nature of EKC which implies that environmental degradation increases at a decreasing rate as economic activity increases; after reaching a maximum level of emission, environmental degradation decreases with further increase in economic activities up to certain level and finally it increases at an increasing rate. In this study, efficiency scores of the countries for producing an aggregate amount of goods and services by employing their available resources reveals that although the high income group countries are more efficient in attaining economic growth than other groups, however, these nations are least efficient in sustainable growth or eco-efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to investigate the moderating presence of FDI in the nexus between economic progression and quality of environment in 115 countries, and various income panels of countries from 1992 to 2019, based on a theoretical underpinning of the Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC). The results reveal a significant positive influence of energy consumption on CO2 discharges across all income panels. The interaction between FDI and square of GDP leads to a decrease in CO2 emissions for low and lower-middle income countries, whereas a drop in PM2.5 discharges is distinctively recorded for low, lower middle, high income, and overall income levels. Likewise, the interaction of FDI with manufacturing growth exhibits a negative influence on CO2 emissions reduction in both low and lower-middle income economies, and a reduction in CH4 discharges for upper-middle, high income, and overall income levels. All these results support the EKC hypothesis and offer a useful insight for countries that intend to pursue green economic growth with due consideration for energy consumption and environmental pollution. [Display omitted] • There is a significant positive influence of energy consumption on CO2 discharges across all income panels. • The interaction between FDI and square GDP leads to a decrease in CO2 emissions for low and lower-middle income countries. • The above interaction leads to a drop in PM2.5 discharges for low, lower middle, high income and overall income levels. • The FDI-manufacturing growth nexus negatively affects emissions reduction in both low- and lower-middle income economies. • The aforementioned nexus leads to a reduction in CH4 discharges for upper-middle, high income, and overall income levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • The Environmental Quality Index is constructed based on dynamic data-driven methods. • Spatial Durbin Model is used to examine the environmental Kuznets curve in China. • Provincial spatial effects of environmental quality were strengthened since 2006. • Interdepartmental dependency accelerates the occurrence of the turning point of EQI. Abstract China is facing the challenge of maintaining sustainable economic growth in an environmental friendly manner. Therefore, it is of great necessity and importance to forecast the turning point of China’s environmental pollution. In this field, a frequently used empirical framework is the environmental Kuznets curve (EKC); however, the majority of the literature examining the EKC has focused on specific pollutants, which may have led to controversial estimation results because of the different characteristics of various pollutants. Therefore, in this study, a self-assessed environmental quality index (EQI) is constructed across 8 environmental factors that account for important pollutants and environmental emergencies by using the overall entropy method, and this EQI index is used to investigate the existence of EKC in China. Moreover, given that many environmental pollutants, especially air pollutants, may flow across regions, appropriate spatial econometric tools are employed to account for the potential spatial dependence of the environmental quality. Using the panel data of 30 provinces and autonomous regions for the period 2006–2015, the empirical results indicate evidence for an N-shaped relationship between the EQI and income per capita; this suggests that the overall environmental quality in China would first worsen and then gradually improve as the economy continues to grow. In addition, good governance is an important factor to accelerate the occurrence of the turning point of EKC. For policymakers, targeted policies and industrial upgrades would favor relatively underdeveloped regions and improve environmental quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this article is to analyse the position of Slovakia and the Czech Republic in the European Union from the viewpoint of the Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) hypothesis. Econometric models for panel data with C02 emissions as the dependent variable and four different types of macroeconomic aggregates are employed in the study. The EU-27 data used in the study supports the hypothesis of the EKC. As the EU countries are heterogeneous, the countries are further classified into "rich" and "poor" (according to the level of their GDP), and further analyses are performed. Considering the "rich" EU countries the EKC hypothesis holds, but if the "poor" EU countries are taken into account, the coefficient of the quadratic regressor is positive which relates to the traditional U-shaped curve, not the inverted one. Such a finding is still not in contradiction to the EKC hypothesis, as it assumes that at the low level of economic output, as the development progresses, the emissions increase. The estimated value of the EKC turning point is 19 660 USD (constant 2000 USD) which has not been reached by the "poor" EU countries yet. As for the position of Slovakia and the Czech Republic in the EU, the results are not unambiguous. The C02 emissions have been decreasing very slightly in both countries since 1992 (with 1.33 percent mean annual rate of decrease in Slovakia and 1.16 percent mean annual rate of decrease in the Czech Republic). The GDP per unit of energy use (constant 2005 PPP USD per kg of oil equivalent) increased from 3.15 USD to 6.33 USD in Slovakia between 1990 and 2010 (i.e. 3.54 percent mean annual growth rate). The mean annual growth rate of the Czech GDP per unit of energy use was slightly slower: 2.71 percent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In this study, the Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) is hypothesized to investigate the relationship between CO2 emission, economic growth, energy consumption, trade liberalization and population density in Pakistan with yearly data from 1971 to 2008. The cointegration analysis using Auto Regressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) bounds testing approach is incorporated. The results support the hypothesis both in short-run and long-run and inverted U-shaped relationship is found between CO2 emission and growth. Interestingly we found trade support the environment positively and population contributes to environmental degradation in Pakistan. The energy consumption and growth are the major explanatory variables which contribute to environmental pollution in Pakistan. Moreover, the time series data analysis is used and the stability of variables in estimated model is also assessed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The goal of the article is an introduction of Environmental Kuznets Curve as a concept, discu-ssion of its existence arising from empirical research for different pollutants and its theoretical explanation. The article includes own EKC research result concerning particulate matter in the air. Economic growth, measured as GDP per capita in a given country, is connected with increasing pollution, but after some turning point pollution starts declining. This relationship has an inverted U-shape and is called Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC). EKC was first identified in a research by Grossman and Krueger from 1991 [8], other studies came after soon. In the air pollution EKC was identified for SO2, NOx a dark matter (smoke), in water pollution for biological oxygen demand, chemical oxygen demand, nitrates and some heavy metals (such as arsenic, cadmium or lead). EKC evidence for particulate matter (PM) is mixed, EKC wasn t found for CO or CO2 However, some authors consider evidence for EKC statistically weak. Standard explanation of EKC comes from [17]: &ldqou;As the development and industrailization progress, environmental damage increases due to greater use of natural resources, more emissions of pollutants, the operation of less effici-ent and relatively dirty technologies, the high priority given to increase in material output, and di-sregard for - or ignorance of - the environmental consequences of growth. However, as economic growth continues and life expectancies increase, claner water, improved air quality, and a generally cleaner habitat become more valuable…" EKC research has important policy implications: from some point environmental quality impro-ves with ecomic growth. Hence efforts to reduce economic growth to protect environment have in fact the opposite effect… [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Release of CO2 has caused significant climate change, and agricultural land use consitutes an important carbon source as well as principal carbon sinks. This paper, by examining carbon functions of main agricultural land in China, shows that in 2000-2008 the annual growth rate of carbon emission for arable land amounted to 2.47 percent, the average annual growth of carbon sinks for forest reached 3.19 percent, and the diminishing rate of carbon sink for grassland turned to be small but quite distinct. For arable land, higher carbon emissions are mainly located in its central provinces and major agricultural provinces, while higher carbon intensity in its eastern coastal provinces. Agricultural land of 9 provinces in China was found with net carbon emissions, primarily in the agricultural provinces and ecologically fragile urban areas, whereas the other 22 provinces with net carbon sinks. The EKC tests between carbon intensity of agricultural land and agricultural output per capita illustrate a significant inverted Ucurve relationship; as for agricultural output per capita, the inflection point of 9,615 RMB yuan was surpassed by 11 provinces, mainly in eastern China, developed cities and the northeast region. Finally, policy recommendations are proposed to reduce carbon emissions of agricultural land use across China. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Based on the study of the relationships between economic growth and industrial pollutant discharge of Suzhou City in 1991-2005, the environmental Kuznets curve (EKC) of the City was estimated by several kinds of function, with the cause analyzed. The results showed that the EKC of Suzhou was not a typical one. The industrial pollution of the City increased dramatically by scale effect of economic growth and the clear environmental benefit of industrial structure adjustment was not received obviously, while generalized discharge reduction technologies showed great results. In general terms, the pollution increase was comparatively slower than the GDP growth. As a whole, the environmental policy of Suzhou was in effect. However, the relationships between economic growth and industrial pollutant discharge had not been a benign development yet. In order to achieve win-win situation of economic growth and pollution reduction, Suzhou needed to optimize its industry structure, push the energy conservation and discharge reduction policy deeply, increase environmental investment, and enforce the strictest environmental and industrial policy. In doing these, Suzhou could turn the traditional ∩-shaped EKC into Λ-shaped EKC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]