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Balancing economic growth with water consumption is essential for sustainable development. Water scarcity caused by vigorous economic expansion can be alleviated with balance. This paper employs the reduced-form model, Tapio decoupling model, and the logarithmic mean Divisia index (LMDI) model to investigate the relationship between water consumption and economic growth in China as a whole, as well as separately at its 31 provinces and eight economic regions from 2003 to 2019. This article not only qualitatively depicts the environmental Kuznets curve (EKC) of water use but also quantitatively analyzes its formation by exploring how it decouples from economic development and calculating the driving factors. The results confirmed the existence of an inverted-U EKC in water use at the national level and in seven economic regions. From 2003 to 2019, the decoupling index of China and seven economic regions showed a decreasing trend, indicating that economic development is becoming less dependent on water resources. For its driving influencing factors, compared with that of the population and structural effects, the cumulative absolute value of water-use efficiency and economic effects is larger; that is to say, the water-use efficiency and economic effects are the main driving factors for water use, and the population and structural effects are the auxiliary influencing factors. Moreover, the water efficiency measures and industrial structure reform have contributed to the decrease in the domestic water consumption, and economic development and population expansion have contributed to an increase in the water use. Based on the aforementioned findings, policy insights are proposed to facilitate government management and provide a theoretical reference for other developing countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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]

This research analyses the impact of green finance development on the environmental quality of China. It utilises provincial panel data from 2006 to 2021 and takes technological innovation as the intermediary variable. Through the construction of a comprehensive index of green finance, technological innovation and environmental quality, we verify the hypothesis that green finance development does improve environmental quality. Taking innovation as the intermediary variable, this study examines the hypothesis that green finance enhances environmental quality by improving the level of innovation and also illustrates the importance of developing technology‐intensive industries. Heterogeneity analysis shows that different regions or different levels of green financial development have varying effects on environmental improvement. Finally, the findings validate the environmental Kuznets curve (EKC) by showing an inverted U‐shape link between green finance and environmental quality. The results herein offer a benchmark for policymakers to further strengthen green finance policy, increase the proportion of green investment and raise the support of green finance for technological innovation, thus improving environmental pollution and promoting sustainable economic development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study is to investigate whether there is a fit of the environmental Kuznets curve for Southern African development community (SADC) countries. To this end, we estimate a quadratic regression between greenhouse gas emissions (CO2, N20, CH4), per capita income and other controls, using the pooled mean group (PMG) and quantile autoregressive distributive lag (QARDL) models applied to annual data spanning from 1990 to 2021. On one hand, the PMG (Pooled mean group) estimators reveal an EKC fit for CO2 emissions (turning point = $4675), an inverse EKC for CH4 emissions (turning point = $6310) and no fit for the N20 emissions. On the other hand, the QARDL estimators further reveal more significant effects existing at the tail end distributions of the curve for all classes of emissions with turning points in the upper (lower) quantiles being higher (lower) than those from the PMG estimators. Further analysis informs us that only Seychelles have crossed the EKC 'turning point' at the upper quantile while the remaining countries are 'too poor to go green.' Overall, these findings have implications for the debate on climate justice in Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This paper aims to review the relationship between per capita income and aggregate emission in an economy populated by rational agents. According to the environmental Kuznets curve (EKC) hypothesis, pollution–income relationship is an inverted U-shaped curve. This paper aims to derive that relationship in an endogenous way and extends the relevant literature in an important way. Design/methodology/approach: This paper formulated a general equilibrium model of homogenous population with identical tastes and preferences. Production side is modelled with firms operating in a monopolistically competitive environment. The approach is modelling the economy in an analytical way so that closed form solutions can be achieved. Model simulations have also been performed to get a clear view of results. Findings: This study shows that increasing returns to scale in abatement technology ceases to be a sufficient condition for the generation of the EKC hypothesis. The general equilibrium structure of the model allows studying the endogenous evolution of income, emissions and prices of the abatement goods in a unified setting. Originality/value: The paper is novel and original in nature. The results are new in the literature. These results extend and generalise the previous research work in this area in an important way. The sufficient condition that is obtained in this study limits the applicability of EKC in an otherwise identical economy as used in previous literature. Therefore, this paper adds value to the ongoing research related to EKC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is recognized in the literature that advances in technology are one of the main mechanisms to increase technical efficiency and production with less use of inputs. However, technological advancement can also lead to increased emissions due to rebound effects or the Jevons paradox phenomenon. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the role of technology and technological spillovers in CO2 emissions. In a complementary way, the hypothesis of the inverted U-shaped relationship between CO2 emissions and industrial value added is empirically evaluated in a panel of country-sector data. Results show that both the stock of R&D and domestic R&D spillovers play a significant role in reducing CO2 levels. There is weaker evidence for foreign R&D spillovers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Objective] Taking Jingzhou City as an example, this paper discussed the relationship between urban expansion and farmland loss and its impact on economic growth. [Method] Using a 30-meter annual land cover dataset in China, the spatial and temporal patterns and regional differences of urban expansion and farmland loss during 1990-2019 were analyzed. The environmental Kuznets curve (EKC) hypothesis was introduced to test the relationship between urban expansion and economic growth through regression analysis of provincial panel data, and the future urban land expansion (FULE) dataset was used to predict farmland pressure under future scenarios. [Result] Urban expansion was the main cause of farmland loss, accounting for 76% of newly built urban land and 28% of farmland loss. Cities above the county level were more inclined to use farmland for construction, while cities below the county level had more farmland converted to other uses. There was an inverted U-shaped relationship between urban expansion and farmland loss, indicating that the loss of farmland increased first and then decreased with economic growth, and began to decouple after reaching an inflection point in 2012. Some coastal and large cities had entered a stage of reduced farmland loss, while some inland and small and medium-sized cities were still in a stage of increased farmland loss. It was estimated that by 2050, 0.3-0.4 million hectares of arable land in Jingzhou will be occupied by urban land, and third-and fourth-tier cities will suffer the most losses. [Conclusion] It was recommended to strengthen land planning and management, control urban expansion, optimize land use structure, improve land use efficiency, protect arable land resources, promote regional coordinated development, and achieve a balance between economy and environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Information and communication technology (ICT) is considered one of the most important factors of industrialization, and it greatly impacts economic growth and environmental quality. This study aims to investigate the impact of information and communication technology on the quality of the environment in major Asian Emitters. This survey was conducted between 2000 and 2020 for two groups of developing and developed countries. Principal component analysis (PCA) is used to construct ICT and good governance (GG) composite index. The environmental Kuznets Curve hypothesis is confirmed in both groups of countries. In both groups of countries, energy consumption and trade openness lead to a decrease, and good governance leads to an increase in the quality of the environment. The ICT composite index significantly reduces the quality of the environment in developing countries. In developed countries, the ICT composite index does not significantly affect the quality of the environment (positive and meaningless), while access to the Internet significantly improves the quality of the environment. It is expected that the carbon-increasing effects of ICT development, such as direct and rebound effects, will be larger in developing countries than the carbon-reducing effect of ICT, such as the substitution effect. Therefore, optimizing energy consumption and activating the substitution effect (use of intelligent transportation systems, intelligent traffic control systems and reduction of outdoor activities) is recommended in developing countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research background: The issue of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, recognized as one of the major drivers of environmental degradation, has attracted considerable attention from academic researchers, policymakers, and professionals in relevant fields. Based on the existing research, countries’ pollution levels are shaped by a combination of factors, including their participation in global value chains (GVCs) and degree of technological advancement. Still, relatively little is known about the mutual interdependence of these factors in determining CO2 emissions, which creates the research gap that we address in this paper. Purpose of the article: The aim of this study is to broaden understanding of the impact of GVC involvement on CO2 emissions in emerging and developing countries. We examine the impact of GVC participation on CO2 emissions conditional on a country’s distance to the world’s technological frontier. The rationale is that a country’s technological advancement may underpin the environmental impact of GVC participation. We claim that the adoption of technology by less developed countries via GVCs is conditioned by their absorptive capacity, which is determined by their initial level of technological development. Methods: To investigate this issue, we employ the Arellano-Bond generalized method of moments (GMM) estimator and four patent-based technology gap indicators. The utilized data cover 90 emerging and developing countries. Findings & value added: Our study demonstrates that a country’s technological advancement is the key factor that conditions the acquisition of environmental benefits of GVC participation. We find that countries with shorter distances to the world’s technological frontier enjoy a decline in CO2 emissions as their GVC involvement increases. At the same time, countries that are further away from the technological leader may not be able to experience CO2 reduction with increased GVC integration due to their inadequate absorptive capacity, which hampers the environmental benefits related to technology diffusion through GVCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractMany researches have been conducted to provide theoretical explanations and/or empirical evidence of how globalization affects environmental quality. However, theoretical explanations have not reached consensus, empirical research has not yet clarified the possible effects in developing countries particularly. For Saudi Arabia from 1981 to 2018, we tested the environmental Kuznets curve hypothesis (EKC). We studied the impact of globalization on the ecological footprint (ECP) relying on the QARDL approach. Four globalization indicators are used namely: social (GLOBS), economic (GLOBE), political (GLOBP), and total globalization (GLOBG). Based on QARDL results, it appears that all quantiles show a statistically significant and negative sign for error correction parameter. These results affirm that the related variables and ecological footprint in Saudi Arabia are reverting to a long-term equilibrium. In the long-run, the results of the study suggest that GLOBG, as well as GLOBE, will lead to increased ECP across all the quantiles. However, the fluctuations in GLOBP and GLOBS negatively affect ecological footprint in higher quantiles. Additionally, the QARDL results confirmed that the Saudi economy has an inverted U-Shaped curve. In the short-run, ECP is negatively affected by four globalization indicators in middle and upper quantiles. Sustainable development and environmental policy can be advanced using the guidelines found in this research. Based on the findings, the government and political system in Saudi Arabia should pay more attention to global and economic globalization to achieve sustainable environmental goals in the long run.

Recent events, such as the financial crisis, oil price shocks or fluctuations, Brexit, the US–China trade war, the COVID-19 pandemic, the Russia–Ukraine conflict and the subsequent energy crisis, have surged global economic policy uncertainty. As climate change has recently been more pronounced around the globe, discussions about climate policies and related uncertainties have also become a major concern. This study investigates the role of economic policy uncertainty (EPU) and climate policy uncertainty (CPU) on climate change (environmental degradation) for selected emerging and developed economies, expanding the IPAT framework and merging it with the Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) hypothesis. The IPAT framework examines the impact (I) of population (P), affluence (A), and technology (T) on the environment, whereas the EKC hypothesis proposes an inverted U-shaped curve between affluence and environmental degradation. Two models were created and tested for emerging and developed countries, namely Model 1 with EPU and Model 2 with CPU. A Pooled Mean Group (PMG) estimator is employed to investigate the interrelation between carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and selected variables; namely the real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita, squared real GDP per capita, renewable share in consumption, the EPU, the CPU and population. Test results indicate that the EKC hypothesis is verified only in Model 1 and for emerging countries, whereas population escalates climate change in both country groups. Furthermore, in line with the consumption effect theorized earlier in the literature, EPU is negatively related to carbon emissions in emerging countries. Thus, the EPU leads to a decrease in the use of energy and pollution-intensive commodities and mitigates climate change in EMEs. Compatible with our ex-ante expectations, renewable energy consumption alleviates climate change in both country groups in the short term. In Model 2, with CPU, we find no evidence supporting the EKC hypothesis for any country groups. However, we reaffirm that renewable energy consumption decreases CO2 emissions in developed countries, which is in support of the argument that energy transition holds the key to tackling climate change. Finally, CPU is associated with a decrease in CO2 emissions in emerging countries in the short term, potentially leading to a reduction in overall economic activity and alleviating climate change. This might also be attributable to the fact that the decisions of economic agents substantially rely on current and future policy (both economic and climate) expectations. Overall, verifying the EKC hypothesis for emerging countries in Model 1, we might argue that there is good potential for emerging countries to save money and time on environmental costs via the adoption of clean technologies and related policies. Last but not least, on a global scale, energy transition with better utilization of renewable sources holds the key to tackling climate change and reducing emissions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research paper conducts a comprehensive analysis of the complex relationship between CO2 emissions and economic factors, specifically investigating the Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) theory in Malaysia. Using data from 1991 to 2020, the study applies the Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) modelling approach developed by Pesaran et al. (2001). The results demonstrate a significant long-term connection between Gross Domestic Product (GDP), trade, and carbon emissions, indicating that economic development plays a crucial role in influencing Malaysia's carbon footprint. Additionally, the inclusion of institutional quality in the model adds another layer of complexity, highlighting the multifaceted nature of the relationship between economic progress and environmental outcomes. Furthermore, examining short-term dynamics using the ARDL model reveals diverse effects over time for variables such as renewable energy and institutional quality, providing a more nuanced understanding of these relationships. These detailed insights are essential for policymakers dealing with the challenges of promoting economic progress while ensuring environmental sustainability. The findings contribute to a deeper understanding of the interplay between economic variables and CO2 emissions, offering valuable guidance for policymakers striving to strike a balance between economic growth and environmental conservation in Malaysia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper attempts to analyze decoupling between CO2 emissions and income growth in the U.S. through the lens of Environmental Kuznets curve (EKC). Many states in the U.S. have achieved absolute decoupling in recent years, which means that CO2 emissions have decreased while the economy grows. This is partly due to the adoption of low-emission technologies, such as coal to gas switching, nuclear power, and economic restructuring towards a more sustainable economy. We argue that understanding decoupling is crucial to implement effective climate change policies. This study suggests that, after 2015, EKC has taken on the U-shaped form with many states currently located on the negatively sloped portion of the curve. It is not desirable as emissions may eventually begin to increase as the economy grows. To support this claim, we estimate panel fixed effects rolling-window EKCs using two-stage least square with two instrumental variables, unemployment rate and the trend variable. Empirical results show how the inverted U-shaped EKC has transformed into the U-shaped EKC in the U.S. This transformation is probably caused by the recent increases in emissions in transportation sector, strong electricity demand in recent years with cold winter seasons, reversals of eco-friendly energy policies, and manufacturers’ onshoring. Stakeholders should make efforts to transform the U-shaped EKC back to an inverted U-shaped EKC even in cases where absolute decoupling is observed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the determinants of emissions for a global sample of 120 countries during the 1995–2012 period using panel data analysis. Specifically, an extended version of the STIRPAT model combined with the EKC was employed to examine the determinants of emissions for the full sample and three subsamples of countries at different income levels. Three proxies for emissions are used, including CO2, N2O and CH4 emissions. The two-step generalized method of moments (GMM) is employed as the estimation technique. The empirical results indicate the evidence of EKC for the global sample and all subgroups of countries for CO2 emissions. On the other hand, U-shaped relationships between income and emissions are found for all three subsamples in the cases of N2O and CH4 emissions. Energy intensity appears to be the major driver of CO2 emissions for all groups of countries as well as for N2O and CH4 emissions for high-income and upper-middle-income countries. The effects of industrialization and urbanization vary across different types of emissions and different income country groups. The global environmental policy should focus on encouraging energy efficiency, enhancing the use of eco-friendly energy resources, as well as incorporating the impacts of industrialization and urbanization on emissions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose. High dependence on land resources is often the main cause of large-scale land conversion and deforestation in Indonesia. However, as a country vulnerable to climate change, Indonesia continues to increase its efforts to improve forest management and reduce deforestation. This is also in line with Indonesia’s commitment to reduce emission levels to achieve Net-Zero Emissions by 2060, where the forestry sector will be the base of this achievement. This study aims to measure Indonesia’s progress during 1970–2018, especially in reducing deforestation. With this study, we can see trends in forest management in developing countries, especially Indonesia. In addition, based on available data, we can see which factors are most closely related to Indonesia’s deforestation rate. Methodology / approach. This study uses a time-series data analysis with Error Correction Method (ECM). This ECM is used to detect the existence of the Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC), which describes the relationship between environmental degradation and economic variables. In this study, EKC is used to assess further relationship pattern between the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita and deforestation. The relation pattern between this GDP and deforestation is tested using quadratic and cubic models. Results. Under the quadratic model, a classic inverted U-shape EKC is detected in this study. It means that with economic growth and technological improvement, deforestation can be reduced. In other words, Indonesia has improved its forest management. However, as the N-shape relation was also detected in further cubic model simulation, it is also an indication that, at some point, Indonesia is also prone to increase its deforestation again. Another finding from the model is that the palm oil plantation area strongly relates to the deforested area. At the same time, the simulation detects a negative relationship between the horticulture cropland and the deforested area. The result may capture an insight into the forest transition period in Indonesia. In this transition, the government has started to slow down the speed at which forests are exploited in various ways. Originality / scientific novelty. Although the forestry sector is an important economic sector for Indonesia, there is still limited research on this topic, especially at the national level. This study uses more updated statistical information to better describe the Indonesian forestry condition. Moreover, the analysis is aligned with the Indonesian land policy by introducing additional variables from palm oil and crop areas. Moreover, the previous EKC assessments in Indonesia usually only use the quadratic model, which has some limitations in detecting other turning points and seeing the existence of N-shaped or inverted N-shaped EKC. This study also tries to add a bit on cubic model assessment to detect this N-shaped EKC in Indonesia. Practical value / implications. This study gives broader information based on the available data and statistics on the country’s deforestation situation and how the economic situation affects it. Policymakers can use the materials from this study to develop an effective forest management system throughout Indonesia.

Estimating the asymmetrical influence of foreign direct investment is the primary goal of the current study. In addition, further controlled variables affect environmental degradation in OIC nations. Due to this, current research employs the asymmetric (NPARDL) approach and the data period from 1980 to 2021 to estimate about viability of the EKC (environmental Kuznets curve) theory. The study utilized greenhouse gas (GHG) including emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2), nitrous oxide (N2O), methane (CH4), and ecological footprint as substantial parameters of environmental quality. A nonlinear link between foreign direct investments, trade openness, economic growth, urbanization, energy consumption, and environmental pollution with CO2, N2O, CH4, and ecological footprint in the OIC nations is confirmed by the study's outcomes, which however reveals inconsistent results. Furthermore, the results also show that wrong conclusions might result from disregarding intrinsic nonlinearities. The study's conclusions provide the most important recommendations for decision-makers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We theoretically explore the interrelations between population (P), affluence (A) and technology (T) for various environmental impacts (I) using IPAT-type modelling. To illustrate the differences across environmental dimensions, climate and land use impacts are modelled. We use middle-of-the-road projections for population and per capita income and different forecasting methods for technology, including extrapolations of historical trends, models based on stochastic IPAT (STIRPAT) and predictions in the literature. The different approaches are compared within the IPAT framework. We also explore the consequences of alternative trajectories for P, A and T, and we discuss the implications of these trajectories for reaching global goals based on our modelling. The findings are analysed in light of three theories in environmental sociology, each of which places a different emphasis on the different components of IPAT. We argue that the large amount of technological mitigation assumed in many forecasts makes affluence and population relatively irrelevant for climate change. However, we also consider it likely that both factors will be determinants of land use impact in the 21st century. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rising GHG emissions and climate change have resulted in number of catastrophes such as floods, droughts and heat waves. Accordingly, researchers are interested in exploring the nexus between GHG emissions and economic growth. This research study is motivated to explore the moderation of transportation competitiveness for economic growth and carbon emissions of transport sector in global perspective. The annual time series data for study variables are used for time period from 2008 to 2018 for 121 countries. The panel quantile regression (PQR) estimation technique is used for analysis of results. The study results validated inverted U-shaped environmental Kuznets curve (EKC) for quantile group-1 and 2, while U-shaped EKC was validated for quantile group-3 and 4. The moderation of transport competitiveness significantly tends to achieve environmental sustainability for economic growth and carbon emissions of transport sector for quantile group-1 and 2. However, the moderation of transport competitiveness increases carbon emissions of transport sector in quantile group-4. The study results implicated that process of economic growth resulted in expansion of transport sector in quantile group-3 and 4 beyond sustainable level. The various policy recommendations are advocated to improve the quality of transport sector to mitigate carbon emissions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Many researches have been conducted to provide theoretical explanations and/or empirical evidence of how globalization affects environmental quality. However, theoretical explanations have not reached consensus, empirical research has not yet clarified the possible effects in developing countries particularly. For Saudi Arabia from 1981 to 2018, we tested the environmental Kuznets curve hypothesis (EKC). We studied the impact of globalization on the ecological footprint (ECP) relying on the QARDL approach. Four globalization indicators are used namely: social (GLOBS), economic (GLOBE), political (GLOBP), and total globalization (GLOBG). Based on QARDL results, it appears that all quantiles show a statistically significant and negative sign for error correction parameter. These results affirm that the related variables and ecological footprint in Saudi Arabia are reverting to a long-term equilibrium. In the long-run, the results of the study suggest that GLOBG, as well as GLOBE, will lead to increased ECP across all the quantiles. However, the fluctuations in GLOBP and GLOBS negatively affect ecological footprint in higher quantiles. Additionally, the QARDL results confirmed that the Saudi economy has an inverted U-Shaped curve. In the short-run, ECP is negatively affected by four globalization indicators in middle and upper quantiles. Sustainable development and environmental policy can be advanced using the guidelines found in this research. Based on the findings, the government and political system in Saudi Arabia should pay more attention to global and economic globalization to achieve sustainable environmental goals in the long run. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the 1990s, the Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) hypothesis posits an inverted U-shaped relationship between pollutants and economic development. The hypothesis has attracted a lot of research. We provide here a review of more than 2000 articles that have been published on the EKC. We aim at mapping the development of this specialized research, both in term of actors and of content, and to trace the transformation it has undergone from its beginning to the present. To that end, we combine traditional bibliometric analysis and semantic analysis with a novel method, that enables us to recover the type of pollutants that are studied and the empirical claims made on EKC (whether the hypothesis is invalidated or not). We principally exhibit the existence of a few epistemic communities that are related to distinct time periods, topics and, to some extent, proportion of positive results on EKC.

AbstractThe purpose of our study is to examine the Fishery-based Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) for a sample of 48 African countries between 1970–2019. We estimate cubic EKC-type models using quantile regression to account for distributional asymmetries existing in the time series data, and our empirical analysis is conducted at continental, regional and country-specific levels. Methodologically, our findings indicate that most EKC relationships are found at the tail-end of the quantile regressions, hence demonstrating their usefulness in capturing “hidden relationships” amongst the variables. Empirically, our findings reveal that Southern African countries along the Atlantic Ocean, as well as West African countries which lie along the Gulf of Guinea, tend to have exploitable Fishery-EKC. Conversely, conflict-prone countries found along the Mediterranean Sea, the Indian Ocean and landlocked nations either have inverse or non-existent Fisheries EKC. We provide a novel theoretical explanation for our findings and offer policy recommendations for different stakeholders in African Fisheries markets.

Even if the globalization of the economy has resulted in changes in environmental quality, environmental policy formulation still requires research that integrates the KOF Globalization Index and the load capacity factor Index into a single framework. From 1996 to 2020, the study examined the effect of economic globalization on the environmental integrity of Asian economies. Utilizing a load capacity factor index as a proxy for environmental quality and the KOF economic globalization index to measure economic globalization is distinctive to this study. Checking the independent and interactive effects of economic globalization and institutional quality on environmental quality is another innovative aspect of this study. This study modified the conventional environmental Kuznets curve based on economic globalization to derive the geometry of the environmental Kuznets curve based on economic globalization. The System generalized method of moment technique is used to determine the long-term relationship between economic globalization and environmental quality. The system GMM analysis demonstrates a positive correlation between the globalization of the economy and environmental performance. In addition, the results corroborate the inverted U-shaped relationship between economic globalization and environmental quality for the 48 Asian economies analyzed. In addition, the results confirmed the importance of institutional quality in mitigating the negative impact of globalization on environmental quality. Consideration is given to policy recommendations based on these findings.

This study investigates the energy security and income roles in testing environmental Kuznets curve (EKC) for developing countries from 1990 to 2019. The panel quantile regression approaches are employed to examine the relationship between the variables, considering that income and energy security effects on carbon emissions may vary across distributions. Findings revealed that the EKC hypothesis was inconsistent at low and high quantiles when estimating energy availability, affordability, and acceptability. The validity of inverted U-shaped EKC is supported at high quantiles for energy affordability and accessibility in developing countries. However, given the energy accessibility and acceptability, the EKC hypothesis becomes invalid in developing countries. Notably, developing countries have yet to progress toward achieving energy security as a switch component to low carbon emissions. This study contributes to the literature by revealing the effect of availability, accessibility, affordability, and acceptability of energy security on carbon dioxide emissions (CO2). Thus, it suggests implications for improving environmental quality in developing countries by enhancing energy security. Diversifying energy sources with nuclear, renewable, and developing technologies reduces dependence risks on a single source while improving efficiency through technology and demand management lowers carbon emissions and strengthens energy security. Beyond energy security, this study emphasises sustainable urban planning to promote compact development, effective transportation, and green infrastructure to reduce energy use and improve environmental sustainability, ultimately reducing carbon emissions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This analysis looks at the hypothesis of EKC in the MENA countries. The analytical instrument for this research contribution attempts to measure Kuznets' theory's implementation (1985). The background of the study goal is to examine the link between CO2 emissions and economic factors (renewable energy, FDI, trade). We interpreted the EKC hypothesis as a U-shaped inverted hypothesis, which included a connection between renewable energy, economic growth, and CO2 emissions, among other things. During the timeframe (1990) to (2018), the experimental method assisted by using a panel model for a sample of MENA countries. Empirical results indicate a long-term decline between renewable energies, economic growth, trade openness, and FDI. The long-run cointegrating relationship also shows a link between the rate of CO2 emissions and trade openness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The environment has become a growing concern for many countries, as pollution and other environmental degradation can harm human health, economic growth, and overall well-being. This paper probes into the asymmetrical implications of economic complexity and freedom on ecological quality in four South Asian countries from 1995 to 2019. Using Nonlinear Autoregressive Distributed Lag methodology approach, our findings indicate that carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions are intensified by economic freedom both in the long and short term, while negative and positive shocks to economic complexity increase CO2 emissions in the long term. However, a negative economic complexity shock increases CO2 emissions, whereas a positive shock has the opposite effect in the short run. Moreover, our results confirm the validity of the environmental Kuznets curve (EKC) hypothesis in the long run. Furthermore, we find that renewable energy usage and the interaction of FDI and renewable energy usage can help reduce environmental damage in both the short and long run. The findings suggest that countries should focus on attracting foreign direct investment that promotes the use of renewable energy. Additionally, policies aimed at encouraging renewable energy use should be implemented. It is important to note that as economic freedom and complexity increase, there is a corresponding increase in CO2 emissions. Therefore, South Asian policy makers are advised to prioritize the reduction in fossil fuels, the promotion of energy-saving technologies and efficient production, and trade that encourages the transition of renewable energy sources to reduce CO2 emissions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose ― This research investigates the relationship between ASEAN's industrialization, renewable energy, and CO2 emissions. The primary objectives are to assess the existence of the Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) in ASEAN and to explore the potential mediating effect of renewable energy in the relationship between industrialization and CO2 emissions. Methods ― The study utilizes the PMG-ARDL estimation method in nine ASEAN countries from 1990 to 2019, providing short- and long-term analyses of the variables involved. Findings ― The finding reveals the presence of the EKC in ASEAN in the short term for most member states. It also finds that renewable energy mediates the relationship between industrial value-added and CO2 emissions, with renewable energy adoption altering the turning point of per capita CO2 emissions during industrialization in several ASEAN nations. Implication ― The findings suggest that transitioning to renewable energy can help mitigate the environmental impact of ASEAN’s industrial development. Thus, member states committed to energy targets should prioritize deploying renewable energy in their industrial sectors to achieve environmental benefits. Originality ― This research contributes to the existing literature by specifically examining the interplay between industrialization, renewable energy, and CO2 emissions in ASEAN. The use of the PMG-ARDL estimation method and the focus on the mediating role of renewable energy add originality to the study.

Purpose -- This research investigates the relationship between ASEAN's industrialization, renewable energy, and CO2 emissions. The primary objectives are to assess the existence of the Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) in ASEAN and to explore the potential mediating effect of renewable energy in the relationship between industrialization and CO2 emissions. Methods -- The study utilizes the PMG-ARDL estimation method in nine ASEAN countries from 1990 to 2019, providing short- and long-term analyses of the variables involved. Findings -- The finding reveals the presence of the EKC in ASEAN in the short term for most member states. It also finds that renewable energy mediates the relationship between industrial value-added and CO2 emissions, with renewable energy adoption altering the turning point of per capita CO2 emissions during industrialization in several ASEAN nations. Implication -- The findings suggest that transitioning to renewable energy can help mitigate the environmental impact of ASEAN's industrial development. Thus, member states committed to energy targets should prioritize deploying renewable energy in their industrial sectors to achieve environmental benefits. Originality -- This research contributes to the existing literature by specifically examining the interplay between industrialization, renewable energy, and CO2 emissions in ASEAN. The use of the PMG-ARDL estimation method and the focus on the mediating role of renewable energy add originality to the study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Considering the necessity of increasing the renewable energy consumption stated in the European Green Deal (European Commission policy initiatives envisaging European Union (EU) to become climate neutral by 2050), the aim of this paper is to validate the so-called Environmental Kuznets curve (EKC) and the revised (or renewable energy) Kuznets curve (RKC) in ten Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries (represented by Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, and Slovenia) in the period from 1990 until 2019. Conditioned by data availability, the impact of governance in these countries on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions is assessed in the period 2002–2019.The results based on the panel autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) models indicated the contribution of renewable energy consumption in reducing pollution and the role of labour productivity in enhancing GHG emissions in the long run. Moreover, our findings demonstrated that domestic credit to private sector reduced pollution in the long run only in the period of 2002–2019. In addition, such factors as the rule of law, regulatory quality and control of corruption were the governance dimensions that contributed to the environmental quality in the long run. The empirical results of our study might be helpful in supporting the environmental and economic policies in the EU countries for achieving their sustainable development and the European Green Deal objectives.

Agriculture is not only influenced by climate change, but it is also one of the significant contributors of CO2 emission. Understanding CO2 emission and macroeconomic variables is critical to solving the challenges and threats faced by Kenya's agriculture and environment. This study used the Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) hypothesis and the autoregressive distribution lag model (ADLM) to analyze the relationships of CO2 emission with agricultural output, government direct investment, trade openness, and inflation rate in Kenya from 1983 to 2019. The study found that there exists a positive (direct) relationship between CO2 emission and foreign direct investment in the long run in Kenya. Additionally, CO2 emission and trade openness have a negative (indirect) and statistically significant relationship after the error correction term adjustment in the long run. Moreover, the relationship between CO2 emission and agricultural output is positive (direct) and statistically significant in the long run. There is a positive (direct) and statistically insignificant relationship between CO2 emission and inflation rate in the short run. Notably, the EKC hypothesis indicated that the Kenya's economy is still on the environmental degradation trade-off through the gradual increase of both CO2 emission and agricultural output. Our results are important to Kenya's economy because the derived insights will assist in relevant departments to formulate sustainable strategies to minimize environmental degradation.

This study explores the role of governance in shaping the environmental Kuznets curve (EKC), especially focusing on its curvature and turning point. The study highlights the role of various governance indicators in the formulation, implementation, and enforcement of environmental regulations. However, the study asserts that since in developing countries poverty, infrastructure, and human development are valued above a clean environment, good governance is less likely to contribute to mitigating pollution in developing countries. Using a panel of 160 countries, the study finds that better governance helps bring down the critical level of per capita income at which the relationship between income and pollution turns negative. Furthermore, the EKC can be shifted downward by improving governance in the respective countries. The study, however, reveals that the dividends of better governance are more pronounced at higher income levels. Since good governance works only when the desired regulations are in place, it is recommended that for poor countries aid packages for governance reforms need to emphasize the enactment of specific environmental regulations. Investment in institutions is expected to yield maximum dividends in such countries that have gained high-income status but are still lacking in institutional development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the validity of the environmental Kuznets curve (EKC) hypothesis for the G7 group of countries through the ecological footprint and its components (namely built-up land, carbon, cropland, fishing grounds, forest land, and grazing land). Most previous contributions rely on CO 2 emissions as a measure of environmental damage, whereas using disaggregated ecological footprint allows us to consider resource consumption and waste generation compared to nature's resource generation and waste absorption. The empirical application is based on a panel data analysis for G7 countries from 1980 to 2018. The results indicate that the EKC hypothesis is confirmed for the ecological footprint overall, but the impact of GDP growth is unequal across its components. Long-term elasticities point to renewable energy generation significantly improving environmental sustainability. Globalization also decreases pollution indicators, while economic complexity seems to contribute to environmental degradation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

CO2 emissions have become a topical issue worldwide, but few studies have considered the spatial effect of income on carbon emissions and explored the relationship between CO2 emissions and income by establishing direct, indirect, and total environmental Kuznets curves (EKCs). Using an annual panel dataset collected over the 1997–2017 period in China, this study first analyzed the spatiotemporal evolutionary process of CO2 emissions and subsequently developed direct, indirect, and total EKC-based spatial Durbin model (SDM) and partial derivative approach. These results indicate that, first, CO2 emissions have characteristic positive spatial autocorrelation, with gravity centers that have shifted westward. Second, the direct EKC forms a line, while the total EKC resembles a lying-S shape as well as the total EKC, which indicates that compared to local economic growth, neighboring growth plays a very different role in impacting local CO2 emissions. Furthermore, neighboring economic growth seems to have stronger impacts on local emissions, and the turning point of the total EKC comes much earlier than that of the conventional EKC due to the spillover effects of economic growth. Finally, the growth of the population, as well as the rise of energy intensity, can stimulate CO2 emissions in both local and neighboring regions. Industrialization seems to have a nonsignificant impact on emission changes due to the offsetting effects of the positive direct and negative indirect impacts of the share of secondary industry. Improvements in local urbanization may lead to an increase in emissions, while neighboring improvements may have stronger restricting effects; thus, urbanization improvement is beneficial to emissions reduction. This study provides more scientific information from both local and neighboring perspectives, which may differ from conventional results but still be beneficial for emissions reduction policy-makers to introduce corresponding measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigate the relationship between China's high growth and environmental pollution from the agricultural and industrial sectors by estimating the environmental Kuznets curve (EKC). We used panel data of Chinese cities at the prefecture level and above for the period between 2011 and 2015 and estimated the EKC models using the system generalized method of moments (GMM). We found that agricultural chemical oxygen demand (COD) and industrial wastewater depict N-shaped and reverse N-shaped curves. Further, an EKC for agricultural nitrogen balance has been established. We find that industrial sulfur dioxide (SO2) emissions and their emission intensity support the EKC hypothesis. Our research is then used to provide policymakers with guidance on mitigating environmental pollution by comparing and scrutinizing the characteristics of agricultural and industrial pollution in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The environment has been delivering ecological balance through mitigation and ultraviolet ray protection. Nevertheless, human interactions have been creating unfavorable changes on environmental quality. Accordingly, based on a panel data (1996–2018), this study inspected evidence for N-shaped EKC across 41 SSA countries classified under three income categories. By extending the EKC hypothesis and using the three-stage simultaneous equation modeling, the study also estimated the direct and indirect effects of the three governance indices on environmental quality in the region. Consequently, the study confirmed N-shaped EKC only in the upper middle-income SSA countries. Furthermore, in the lower-income SSA countries, while the institutional governance index has a direct negative effect on environmental degradation, government effectiveness has an indirect negative effect on GHG emissions through renewable energy consumption. In the lower-middle-income SSA countries, while economic governance has a direct positive effect, political and institutional governances have a direct negative effect on environmental degradation. Here, also, political stability and the absence of violence have an indirect negative effect on GHG emission through income. In the upper middle-income SSA countries, control of corruption and the regulatory quality of the government has an indirect negative effect on environmental quality through income and renewable energy consumption, respectively. The inconclusive effects of the three governance indices on environmental quality might be the result of income heterogeneity across the region. Thus, policy prescriptions based on understanding the heterogeneous effects of governance indices within the three income groups might help to prove environmental quality in the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of our study is to examine the Fishery-based Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) for a sample of 48 African countries between 1970–2019. We estimate cubic EKC-type models using quantile regression to account for distributional asymmetries existing in the time series data, and our empirical analysis is conducted at continental, regional and country-specific levels. Methodologically, our findings indicate that most EKC relationships are found at the tail-end of the quantile regressions, hence demonstrating their usefulness in capturing "hidden relationships" amongst the variables. Empirically, our findings reveal that Southern African countries along the Atlantic Ocean, as well as West African countries which lie along the Gulf of Guinea, tend to have exploitable Fishery-EKC. Conversely, conflict-prone countries found along the Mediterranean Sea, the Indian Ocean and landlocked nations either have inverse or non-existent Fisheries EKC. We provide a novel theoretical explanation for our findings and offer policy recommendations for different stakeholders in African Fisheries markets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]