The Impact of CO2 Emissions and Renewable Energy Consumption on Health Expenditures in EU Countries

Öz

The main cause of climate change and environmental degradation is CO2 emissions. CO2 emissions, largely originating from energy production, threaten sustainable ecological life and negatively affect human health. In order to prevent the increase in CO2 emissions and protect human health, many European Union (EU) countries focus on the use of renewable energy. Renewable energy, being environmentally friendly, contributes to the protection of social health and the improvement of life expectancy. The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of CO2 emissions and renewable energy consumption on health expenditures for the period 2000-2020 for 26 EU member states. In this direction, the dependent variable was selected as health expenditures per capita, and the independent variables were selected as CO2 emissions, renewable energy consumption and average life expectancy. The selected variables were analyzed with the panel fixed effects model Driscoll-Kraay estimator. The analysis results reveal a positive and statistically significant effect of CO2 emissions on health expenditures, and a negative and statistically significant effect of renewable energy consumption on health expenditures.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• CO2 Emission
• Renewable Energy
• Health Expenditures
• Fixed Effects Model
• EU Economies

AB Ülkelerinde CO2 Emisyonu ve Yenilenebilir Enerji Tüketiminin Sağlık Harcamaları Üzerindeki Etkisi

Öz

İklim değişikliği ve çevresel bozulmanın başlıca sebebi CO2 emisyonudur. Büyük ölçüde enerji üretiminden kaynaklanan CO2 emisyonu, sürdürülebilir ekolojik yaşamı tehdit ederek insan sağlığını olumsuz etkilemektedir. CO2 emisyonunun artışını önlemek ve insan sağlığını korumak amacıyla birçok Avrupa Birliği (AB) ülkesi yenilebilir enerji kullanımını merkeze almaktadır. Çevre dostu olan yenilenebilir enerji, toplumsal sağlığın korunması ve yaşam beklentilerinin iyileştirilmesine katkıda bulunmaktadır. Bu çalışmanın amacı, 26 AB üyesi ülke için 2000-2020 döneminde CO2 emisyonu ve yenilebilir enerji tüketiminin sağlık harcamaları üzerindeki etkisini araştırmaktır. Bu doğrultuda bağımlı değişken kişi başına sağlık harcamaları, bağımsız değişkenler CO2 emisyonu, yenilebilir enerji tüketimi ve ortalama yaşam beklentisi olarak seçilmiştir. Seçilen değişkenler panel sabit etkiler modeli Driscoll-Kraay tahmincisi ile analiz edilmiştir. Analiz sonuçları, CO2 emisyonunun sağlık harcamaları üzerinde pozitif ve istatiksel olarak anlamlı, yenilebilir enerji tüketiminin sağlık harcamaları üzerinde negatif ve istatiksel olarak anlamlı bir etkisini ortaya koymaktadır.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• CO2 Emisyonu
• Yenilebilir Enerji
• Sağlık Harcamaları
• Sabit Etkiler Modeli
• AB Ekonomileri

Kaynakça

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