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The fight against climate change is gaining momentum, with a growing focus on reducing carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and mitigating environmental impacts. Africa, the continent most vulnerable to global warming, faces unique challenges in this context. This study examines the long-term association among CO2 emissions, economic growth, and different socio-economic factors in 36 African countries from 1990 to 2020. Employing the Pooled Mean Group (PMG) estimator with Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) model, along with U-test and Dumitrescu and Hurlin causality analyses, our study reveals substantial long-term connections amongst CO2 emissions and factors such as economic growth, trade openness, renewable energy consumption, urbanization, and population dynamics. The findings support the Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) hypothesis, indicating that CO2 emissions initially increase with GDP per capita growth but begin to decline after a turning point at approximately 10,614.75 USD. However, the evidence for this turning point remains weak, suggesting that most African countries have not yet achieved decoupling. Renewable energy consumption and urbanization are negatively associated with CO2 emissions, while trade openness and GDP per capita show positive correlations. Causality analysis reveals bidirectional relationships among most variables, except for population growth and CO2 emissions, which may involve other moderating factors. The findings highlight the urgent need for integrated policies that advance sustainable development by focusing on renewable energy adoption, sustainable urbanization, and green growth strategies. Policymakers should prioritize initiatives that harmonize economic growth with environmental sustainability, ensuring a lasting balance between development and ecological preservation across Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environmental degradation is a pressing issue, particularly in resource-dependent regions like the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries. While significant research has explored the environmental impacts of economic growth and resource use globally, limited attention has been given to the unique dynamics in the GCC, including the role of ICT development, trade openness, and FDI inflows. This research examines how information and communication technology (ICT) development, economic growth, trade openness, foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows, and electricity consumption influenced environmental degradation in GCC countries from 1990 to 2022. Using panel data analysis, the study finds that ICT expansion and increased electricity consumption significantly contribute to higher CO2 emissions, exacerbating environmental degradation. Economic growth follows the Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) pattern, where environmental harm initially increases with growth but can decline as economies diversify and adopt cleaner technologies. Trade openness and FDI inflows, particularly in resource-intensive industries, also contribute to environmental degradation, supporting the pollution haven hypothesis. However, these factors present opportunities for sustainable development if paired with stricter environmental regulations and cleaner technology adoption. The study highlights the need for GCC policymakers to prioritize renewable energy investments, enforce stronger environmental policies, and promote energy efficiency to balance economic growth with environmental sustainability. Recommendations for future research include exploring other environmental factors and assessing the role of technological innovations in reducing emissions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Arab Journal for Scientific Publishing is the property of Research & Development of Human Recourses Center (REMAH) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Energy consumption has become a requirement in the modern world, and without it, the economies of developing nations cannot prosper. Consistent economic growth is a challenge for countries of all economic levels, not just the less developed ones. We test the EKC hypothesis by analyzing the relationships between GDP growth, energy consumption, agricultural output, and the consequences of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. From 1991 to 2016, we used panel and quantile regression analysis to compare emissions in nine developing countries with those in 13 developed countries. There is the beginning of a reverse U-shaped relationship between agricultural energy use and greenhouse gas emissions. As a result, the verified EKC hypothesis paves the way for a watershed moment in the progress of industrialized nations’ economies. As an added bonus, agricultural results have a positive impact on CO2 emissions from using liquid fuels. It has a negative impact on CO2 emissions by 19.12% and causes a 4.802 percent increase in environmental degradation. Feed cropping, deforestation, biomass burning, and deep soil and cropping also have negative effects on the environment, especially in developing countries. There is a negative correlation between CO2 emissions and economic growth in developing countries and their energy consumption. Although the EKC hypothesis for CO2 emissions was rejected at lower quantiles, it was validated for Qatar, Canada, China, and other high-emitting economies according to the empirical estimation of quantile regression. The findings of this study have important policy implications for reducing carbon dioxide emissions, suggesting that policymakers account for the stage of economic growth currently being experienced when formulating measures to cut energy use and protect the environment. In particular, policies aimed at reducing energy consumption could.

Energy consumption has become a necessity in today’s world, and economies in developing nations cannot thrive without it. Countries with less developed economies face the same challenges of achieving sustained economic growth as those with more advanced economies. Herein, we examine the environmental Kuznets curve (EKC) hypothesis by looking at the interplay between GDP growth, energy use, agricultural output, and the effects of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. From 1991 to 2016, we used panel and quantile regression analyses to compare emissions in nine developing countries with those in 13 developed countries. There is the beginning of a reverse U-shaped relationship between agricultural energy use and greenhouse gas emissions. As a result, the verified EKC hypothesis paves the way for a watershed moment in the progress of industrialized nations’ economies. The estimated results of agriculture have a favorable impact on CO2 emissions by 15.16 percent but a negative influence of 2.92 percent on CO2 emissions from using liquid fuels, leading to more severe environmental deterioration. Additionally, in developing countries, feed cropping, deforestation, biomass burning, and deep soil and cropping all have detrimental consequences on the ecosystem. There is a negative correlation between CO2 emissions and economic growth in developing countries and their energy consumption. Although the EKC hypothesis for CO2 emissions was rejected at lower quantiles, it was validated for Qatar, Canada, China, and other high-emitting economies according to the empirical estimation of quantile regression. The findings of this study have important policy implications for reducing carbon dioxide emissions, suggesting that policymakers account for the stage of economic growth currently being experienced when formulating measures to cut energy use and protect the environment. Possible solutions to mitigate environmental degradation include enactment of policies to reduce energy consumption.

This paper analyzes the revenue-pollution relationship by revisiting the Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) hypothesis for West African countries over the period of 1980–2014. The study approximates the income measurement by GDP per capita and uses carbon dioxide (CO2), nitrogen oxide (NO2), and methane emissions as various environmental quality measures. The paper uses parametric and non-parametric estimation techniques to test the EKC hypothesis. The results support the existence of the U-inverted relationship between income and methane emission, on one hand, and between income and nitrogen dioxide emission on the other. The estimates also show a mixed result for the U-inverted hypothesis between income and carbon dioxide emissions. Thus, the verification of the curve depends on the estimation techniques and the measurement of the pollutant used. The obtained results led to the conclusion that the EKC hypothesis is validated for West African countries.

Environmental degradation is one of the major problems in the world recently and one of the United Nations’ (UN) sustainable development goals (SDGs). Emerging markets countries that have become major players in the global economy and the main source of world economic growth have great potential to contribute the environmental degradation due to increased economic activities. This paper investigates the impact of financial development and economic growth on environmental degradation in Asian emerging markets. A panel environmental degradation model using financial development from banking sector and capital market sector, economic growth, Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), and urbanization variables that are major determinants of CO2 emission as a proxy of environmental degradation. The periods considered were 1980 – 2018 for banking model, and 1996 – 2018 for financial sector model (banking sector and capital market sector). A panel data approach applied such as cross-section dependence, panel unit root, panel cointegration, Fully Modified OLS (FMOLS) and Dynamic Ordinary Least Square (DOLS). The empirical finding revealed that in Asian emerging markets there is positively long-term relationship between financial development from banking model with environmental degradation. Nevertheless, we do not find any long-term relationship between financial development from financial sector model with environmental degradation. Moreover, the quadratic negative signed for economic growth showed the existence of Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC).

Copyright of Journal of Financial Researches & Studies / Finansal Araştirmalar ve Çalişmalar Dergisi is the property of Marmara University, School of Banking & Insurance and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

In the context of recent environmental debates related to the impact of economic development on environment quality, this paper's aim is to explain the GHG emissions in few EU New Member States (Bulgaria, Slovakia, Slovenia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Romania and Poland) in the period 1990–2019 using a panel data approach (panel threshold and dynamic panel models) and a time series approach (vector error correction models). The importance of this study is related to the identification of paths to reduce pollution in order to manage climate challenges. The results indicate similarities and differences in terms of the impact of various indicators on the total GHG emissions and in the agricultural sector. There is a negative correlation between human development index/GDP and total GHG emissions when GDP growth is below and above 0.83%. Above this threshold estimate, there is a more strong and negative correlation between human development index and GHG emissions than below the threshold value. Below 1.41%, human development index and growth of value-added in agriculture do not influence pollution in agriculture. Above 1.41%, economic growth and change in value-added in agriculture positively influence the pollution in this sector. The relationship between GDP and GHG is inverted N-shaped for Bulgaria, Hungary, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Slovenia and Romania (sample countries), while the relationship between value-added in agriculture and GHG is N-shaped. This research confirms the U-shaped RKC at the national level and for agriculture in the sample countries, while an inversely U pattern was observed for Poland. Renewable energy consumption reduces total GHG emissions in the sample countries. Some policy proposals are indicated to promote a sustainable development in these countries with less pollution. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The recent environmental debates in the European Green Deal to reduce pollution determine the reconsideration of the relationship between economic development and environmental quality. In this context, this paper explains the GHG emissions in few Central and Eastern European countries (CEEs) (Bulgaria, Poland, Hungary, Slovak Republic, Czech Republic and Romania) in the period 1990–2019 and proposes suitable economic policies to reduce pollution. Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) and renewable energy Kuznets Curve (RKC) are considered in a methodological framework based on panel threshold and dynamic panel models. The analysis based on GHG emissions from all economic sectors and GHG emissions from agriculture indicates similarities and differences related to the impact of economic indicators on pollution. The results of estimations indicated an inverted N-shaped relationship between GDP and GHG emissions and an N-shaped pattern between value added in agriculture and pollution. The U-shaped RKC was confirmed for overall economy and for agriculture. The policy proposals based on empirical findings promote sustainable development in the analysed states by reducing pollution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With sustained economic growth, environmental pollution in China has become increasingly serious and displays certain regional differences. Therefore, it is of great significance to explore the spatiotemporal evolution characteristics of economic growth, energy consumption, and environmental pollution in China and understand the dynamic pollution mechanisms for the implementation of regional collaborative governance. Based on the theory of the environmental Kuznets curve, this paper uses panel data from 31 provinces in China from 2008 to 2018 and applies a spatial analysis model to study the correlation among economic growth, energy consumption, and the spatial distribution of environmental pollution. A spatial measurement method is adopted to study the spatial effects of economic growth and energy consumption on environmental pollution. The results show that economic growth, the energy structure, and industrial pollution in China are spatially correlated and that there are different agglomeration areas in the spatial distribution. In terms of the temporal dimension, the energy consumption effect and technological pollution effect in China led to increased environmental pollution, and changes in the structure effect indirectly improved the environmental situation. In the spatial dimension, the high‐value clusters of the structural, energy consumption, and technological pollution effects are mainly in the central and western regions of China, and the low‐value clusters are mostly in the eastern and northeastern regions of China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the relationship between greenhouse gas emissions, energy consumption, and output growth among African OPEC countries (Libya, Nigeria, Angola, Algeria, Equatorial Guinea, and Gabon) using the panel autoregressive distributed lag model (PARDL) estimated by means of mean group (MG) and pooled mean group (PMG) for the period 1970–2016. The paper estimated three panel models comprising the components of greenhouse gasses which includes nitrous oxide, carbon dioxide (CO2), and methane and examined their relationship with economic growth and energy consumption. The findings of the study showed evidence of a positive impact of economic growth on both CO2 and methane emissions in the long run. Its impact on nitrous oxide emissions although positive was found to be statistically insignificant. Energy consumption was also found to produce an insignificant positive impact on CO2, methane, and nitrous oxide emissions in the long run. In the short run, economic growth exerts a significant positive effect on methane emissions; however, its effect on CO2 and nitrous oxide emissions although positive was found to be statistically insignificant. Energy consumption produces an insignificant impact on all components of greenhouse gasses in the short run. In addition, our empirical results showed the presence of a non-linear relationship between methane emissions and economic growth, confirming the existence of the environmental Kuznets curve (EKC) only in the case of methane emissions model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environmental pollution is the cause of reduction in production of man-made labor and capital and lead to reduce output as well. All such decaying nature of pollution leads to adverse impact on human being and economy for sure in case of long duration of it. The main objective for this paper is to analyze the link relating Co2 witheconomical development in 8 Asian countries. Data from 1965 to 2010 has been taken to scale out the income level income per capita and per capita GDP. For this study three simultaneous equations are used EKC relationship with indicator of CO2 are air pollution, income and population density. And found a direct relationship between pollution and income initially and then start decreasing towards negativity and shows inverse impact afterwards. Also there is negative impact of pollution on population density. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Renewable energy plays an important role in reducing global carbon (CO 2) emission. This paper builds a RER (renewable energy consumption rate) index to represent the energy structure of a country and proposes a U-shaped RKC (renewable energy Kuznets Curve) hypothesis between RER and economic growth. We also examine the dynamic relationship between RER and the Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) hypothesis using two panel data sets of 17 major developing and developed countries as well as six geo-economic regions of the world during 1990–2014. Panel co-integration tests indicate that a long-run relationship exists among economic growth, RER and carbon emission. We employ the fully modified ordinary least squares (FMOLS) and the dynamic ordinary least squares (DOLS) techniques to estimate the co-integration coefficients of the panels and individual countries/regions respectively. The results verify both the EKC and RKC hypotheses, indicating that a 10% rise in RER would to a 1.6% carbon emission reduction. It is also found that the RKC turning points of individual countries and the entire samples in general take place before the turning points of the respective EKCs. It suggests that promoting renewable energy consumption to make RKC cross its turning point earlier can accelerate EKC to reach its turning point more quickly. This finding has important policy implications with respect to the development and utilization of renewable energy and environmental protection. The dynamic relationship between EKC and RKC. Image 1 • We examined the relationship between renewable energy and GDP. • A U-shaped curve exists between GDP and renewable energy consumption. • The turning points of RKCs take place earlier than that of the EKCs. • Promoting RKC arrive its turning point in advance can accelerate EKC to reach its turning point more quickly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Natural resources, especially forests, are critical to China's sustainable development. In recent years, effective utilization of forest resources has become a significant concern in China. In this study, on the basis of the environmental Kuznets curve (EKC) hypothesis, the relationship between forest resources and economic growth is examined using panel data from 30 provinces in China for the period 2002–2015 and the generalized method of moments (GMM) approach to control for potential endogeneity. The empirical results indicate that with continuous economic growth, the timber output and area of afforestation would at first increase and then decrease after reaching the corresponding turning points. Given the considerable regional gap in economic and social development, three regions of China were investigated to perform a more in-depth analysis. Evidence observed for the country and the three regions suggests an EKC for forest resources. These findings indicate positive effects of China's pursuit of a more balanced growth path where forest resources would be less consumed and more actively protected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main purpose of this study is to examine the interaction between economic growth and the environment. To this end, Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) hypothesis has been tested in Turkey for 1960- 2011 period. The National Income Per Capita as an indicator of economic growth, Per Capita Carbon Dioxide (CO2) emissions as an indicator of environmental pollution has been used. Also trade openess rate has been included in the model as a control variable. The results which obtained by ARDL (The Autoregressive Distributed Lag) model can be listed as follows: i) According to the long-term coefficients which obtained for quadratic model; there is an inverted U shaped relationship between per capita income and environmental pollution. These results support validity of EKC hypothesis for 1960-2011 in Turkey. ii) According to the longterm coefficients which obtained for cubic model; there is an N shaped relationship between per capita income and environmental pollution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the existence of environmental Kuznets curve (EKC) for carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and its relationship with economic growth, energy consumption and globalization over the period of 1990-2010. We apply a dynamic panel data (GMM-system estimator) using the data of selected 18 countries. This estimator permits to solve the problems of serial correlation, heteroskedasticity and endogeneity for some explanatory variables. The environmental consequences of economic growth are according to environmental Kuznets (EKC) hypothesis. Globalization seems to be a main engine that provides a way to enhance production intensively by utilizing abundant domestic resources efficiently. The energy consumption has positive impact on CO2 emissions. Urbanization improves environmental quality by lowering CO2 emissions, i.e an inverted-U shaped relationship between urbanization and CO2 emissions. [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]

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]

Abstract: The relationship between economic development and environmental quality is a debated topic. Environmental Kuznets curve (EKC) is one prominent hypothesis, positing an inverted U-shaped development–environment relationship. Here we test this hypothesis using data from Shenzhen, People''s Republic of China. Established in 1980 as the first special economic zone in China, Shenzhen has developed from a small village into a large urban-industrial agglomeration with the highest income level in the country. The enormous expansion of infrastructure, industrial sites and urban settlements has profoundly changed the local environment. We utilize environmental monitoring data from Shenzhen on concentration of pollutants in ambient air, main rivers, and near-shore waters from 1989 to 2003. The results show that production-induced pollutants support EKC while consumption-induced pollutants do not support it. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: As indices directly indicate land-based pollutant load contributions to public water pollution, pollutant load per capita flowing into the water body (PLCwb) for the drainage areas of inner city rivers in Chiba City, Chiba Prefecture, Japan, was analyzed. It was reaffirmed that PLCwb was different by the drainage area. For example, the biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) load per capita flowing into the water body (PLCwb-BOD) was calculated as 0.83 g BOD person−1 day−1 for population served with wastewater treatment plant (WWTP). In regards to the three types of on-site domestic wastewater treatment methods in Japan: 0.4–2.1 g BOD person−1 day−1 for combined jokaso (CJ), 4.5–21 g BOD person−1 day−1 for simple jokaso (SJ) and 4.3–19 g BOD person−1 day−1 for night soil treatment (NST). In regards to nutrient parameters of the three on-site treatment methods, population weighted average of PLCwb were almost the same, however, relatively small PLCwb were observed for CJ and SJ through the analysis. Environmental accounting housekeeping (EAH) books for domestic wastewater were prepared based on the analysis results as the application of the indices. EAH books are effective tools for water pollution mitigation in public water bodies. The results of the preliminary correlation analysis of the indices showed that high-efficiency treatment methods including WWTP, agriculture village wastewater treatment facility (AVETF) and CJ are effective in reducing pollutant load flowing into the water body, and that PLCwb have second-order equation relationships with population density of the drainage area. Judging from these characteristics and the analytical results of this study, PLCwb may be useful as an index for demonstrating the benefit of wastewater treatment in reduction of water pollution in the water body. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• Analysis conducted with data on 14 European countries for the period 1990–2014. • Prevailing cross-sectional dependence and heterogeneity issues are addressed with our method. • The inverted U-shaped nexus (EKC hypothesis) is not valid in Europe when we employ CO 2 emissions. • The EKC hypothesis depends on the environmental indicators used. • Fossil fuels extert more distortion on environmental sustainability. The nexus between environment-economic development has been investigated for a long time. Many empirical studies have measured environmental degradation by CO 2 emissions and ignored the possibility that the use of such metric as environmental degradation indicator may be invalid in some cases when it comes to resource stocks. This paper focuses on two indicators of environmental degradation including ecological footprint (EF) and CO 2 emissions as target variables to provide new insights into the ongoing discussions of whether the environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) hypothesis is related to the indicators of environmental pressure used. Estimating a heterogeneous panel model with data on 14 European countries over the period 1990–2014, we provide evidence for the sensitivity of the EKC hypothesis to the type of environmental degradation proxy used. Furthermore, we provide new insights regarding the relevance of EF as an appropriate environmental tool that fits the EKC prediction in contrast to CO 2 emissions. Regarding the explanatory variables, the results show that renewable energy is an environmentally friendly source while fossil fuels contribute to environmental degradation. The inclusion of renewable energy and fossil fuel does not alter the behavior of economic growth in all environmental degradation indicators. The empirical results demonstrate the need to implement environmental management policies that encourage the production/supply of renewable energy and to reduce reliance on fossil fuel consumption. This paper is expected to provide policy makers with a set of policy proposals to achieve sustainable environmental and economic development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]