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Ekonomik Büyüme, Yenilenebilir Enerji ve Beşeri Sermayenin Türkiye’nin Ekolojik Ayakizine Etkileri

Year 2026, Volume: 7 Issue: 1 , 19 - 27 , 30.03.2026
https://doi.org/10.62425/dssh.1861141
https://izlik.org/JA69LA34GR

Abstract

Çevre üzerindeki baskı nüfus artışı, doğal kaynakların azalması, karbon salınımı, iklim değişikliği vb. birçok etmene bağlı olarak artmaktadır. Bu baskılar, çevre sorunlarına neden olan faktörleri oluşturmaktadır. Tüm canlıların ortak yaşam alanı olarak çevrenin sürdürülebilirliği önemli bir konudur. Bu çalışmanın amacı, Türkiye’de çevre sorunlarına neden olan faktörlerin belirlenmesi ve çevre sorunlarına yönelik geliştirilmesi gereken politika önerileri üzerinedir. Bu amaç doğrultusunda ekonomik büyüme, yenilenebilir enerjinin toplam enerji tüketimi içerisindeki payı ve beşeri sermaye ile ilişkisi incelenmektedir. Çalışmada nicel araştırma yöntemlerinden zaman serisi yöntemi kullanılmıştır. Türkiye’de 1990-2021 yılları arasındaki dönem incelenmiştir. Bu yöntem kullanılırken ARDL sınır testinden yararlanılmış olup, nedenselliğin belirlenmesinde Toda-Yamamoto testine başvurulmuştur. Çalışmanın bulguları, ekonomik büyüme arttıkça ekolojik ayakizi miktarının arttığını, yenilenebilir enerjinin toplam enerji tüketimi içerisindeki payı ve beşeri sermayedeki artışın ise ekolojik ayakizini azalttığını göstermektedir. Çalışmada belirlenen değişkenler, çevre sorunlarına neden olan faktörler ve çevresel sürdürülebilirliğin sağlanmasında rol alabilecek bir boyuta sahiptir. Buna bağlı olarak çalışmanın sonuç bölümünde çevre sorunlarının azaltılmasına yönelik politika önerileri sunulmaktadır

References

  • Acemoglu, D. (2012). Introduction to economic growth. Journal of Economic Theory, 147(2), 545–550. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jet.2012.01.023
  • Ansari, M.A., Haider, S., Kumar, P., Kumar, S., & Akram, V. (2022). Main determinants for ecological footprint: an econometric perspective from G20 countries. Energy, Ecology and Environment, 7, 250–267. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40974-022-00240-x
  • Callen, T. (2020) Gross Domestic Product: An Economy’s All. International Monetary Fund, 1-2. https://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/fandd/basics/gdp.htm, Access date: 4.1.2026
  • Chen, N., & Usman, M. (2025). Energy Use, Energy Depletion, and Environmental Degradation: Exploitation of Natural Resources. Natural Resources Forum, 49, 3984- 3995.
  • Danish, Ulucak, R., & Khan, S. U.-D. (2020). Determinants of the ecological footprint: Role of renewable energy, natural resources, and urbanization. Sustainable Cities and Society, 54, 101996. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scs.2019.101996
  • Dogan, E., Taspinar, N., & Gokmenoglu, K. K. (2019). Determinants of ecological footprint in MINT countries. Energy & Environment, 30(6), 1065–1086. https://www.jstor.org/stable/26775734
  • Eelager, M.P., Dalbanjan, N.P., Madihalli, S., Madar, M., Agadi, N.P., Korganokar, K., & Kiran, B. (2025). Pathways to a sustainable future: Exploring the synergy between sustainability and circular economy. Sustainable Futures, 10, 101208.
  • Eide, E. R., & Showalter, M. H. (2010). Human Capital. In International Encyclopedia of Education (pp. 282–287). Elsevier. https://doi.org/10.1016/b978-0-08-044894-7.01213-6
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  • Nautiyal, H., & Goel, V. (2021). Sustainability assessment: Metrics and methods. Methods in Sustainability Science, 27-46. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-823987-2.00017-9
  • Pata, U.K., & Işık, C. (2021). Determinants of the load capacity factor in China: A novel dynamic ARDL approach for ecological footprint accounting. Resources Policy, 74, 102313. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resourpol.2021.102313
  • Pesaran, M. H., Shin, Y., & Smith, R. P. (2001). Bounds testing approaches to the analysis of level relationships. Journal of Applied Econometrics, 16(3), 289326.
  • Presberger, D., & Bernauer, T. (2023). Economic and political drivers of environmental impact shifting between countries. Global Environmental Change, 79, 102637.
  • Rands Barros, A. (2016). Genesis of Brazilian Human Capital. In Roots of Brazilian Relative Economic Backwardness (pp. 111–138). Elsevier. https://doi.org/10.1016/b978-0-12-809756-4.00007-6
  • Tal, A. (2025). The Environmental Impacts of Overpopulation. Encyclopedia, 5(2), 45. https://doi.org/10.3390/encyclopedia5020045
  • Tawiah, V., & Alessa, N. (2025)., "Even climate change is not fair: the impact of climate change on economic outcomes. International Journal of Climate Change Strategies and Management, 17(1), 48–69, doi: https://doi.org/10.1108/IJCCSM-01-2024-0008
  • United Nations (2022). What is renewable energy?, https://www.un.org/en/climatechange/what-is-renewable-energy, Access Date: 3.1.2026
  • Wackernagel, M., & Rees, W. (1996) Our Ecological Footprint: Reducing Human Impact on the Earth. New Society Publishers, Philadelphia.
  • Wackernagel, M., & Kitzes, J. (2008). Ecological Footprint. In Encyclopedia of Ecology (pp. 1031–1037). Elsevier. https://doi.org/10.1016/b978-008045405-4.00620-0
  • Wang, J., & Azam, W. (2024). Natural resource scarcity, fossil fuel energy consumption, and total greenhouse gas emissions in top emitting countries. Geoscience Frontiers, 15, 101757.
  • Zhang, S., Xu, G., Shu, Y., Zhu, J., & Cheng, W. (2024). Comparing developed and emerging nations' Economic development with environmental footprint for low-carbon competitiveness. Heliyon, 10, e34039.

The Effects of Economic Growth, Renewable Energy and Human Capital on Türkiye's Ecological Footprint

Year 2026, Volume: 7 Issue: 1 , 19 - 27 , 30.03.2026
https://doi.org/10.62425/dssh.1861141
https://izlik.org/JA69LA34GR

Abstract

Pressure on the environment is increasing due to many factors, such as population growth, depletion of natural resources, carbon emissions, climate change, etc. These pressures constitute the factors that cause environmental problems. The sustainability of the environment, as the common living space for all living beings, is an important issue. The aim of this study is to identify the factors causing environmental problems in Turkey and to develop policy recommendations for addressing these problems. To this end, economic growth, the share of renewable energy in total energy consumption, and its relationship with human capital are examined. The time series method, one of the quantitative research methods, was used in the study. The period between 1990 and 2021 in Turkey was examined. While using this method, the ARDL bounds test was utilised, and the Toda-Yamamoto test was used to determine causality. The findings of the study show that as economic growth increases, the ecological footprint increases, while the share of renewable energy in total energy consumption and the increase in human capital reduce the ecological footprint. The variables identified in the study have a dimension that can play a role in addressing the factors causing environmental problems and ensuring environmental sustainability. Accordingly, policy recommendations aimed at reducing environmental problems are presented in the conclusion section of the study.

References

  • Acemoglu, D. (2012). Introduction to economic growth. Journal of Economic Theory, 147(2), 545–550. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jet.2012.01.023
  • Ansari, M.A., Haider, S., Kumar, P., Kumar, S., & Akram, V. (2022). Main determinants for ecological footprint: an econometric perspective from G20 countries. Energy, Ecology and Environment, 7, 250–267. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40974-022-00240-x
  • Callen, T. (2020) Gross Domestic Product: An Economy’s All. International Monetary Fund, 1-2. https://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/fandd/basics/gdp.htm, Access date: 4.1.2026
  • Chen, N., & Usman, M. (2025). Energy Use, Energy Depletion, and Environmental Degradation: Exploitation of Natural Resources. Natural Resources Forum, 49, 3984- 3995.
  • Danish, Ulucak, R., & Khan, S. U.-D. (2020). Determinants of the ecological footprint: Role of renewable energy, natural resources, and urbanization. Sustainable Cities and Society, 54, 101996. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scs.2019.101996
  • Dogan, E., Taspinar, N., & Gokmenoglu, K. K. (2019). Determinants of ecological footprint in MINT countries. Energy & Environment, 30(6), 1065–1086. https://www.jstor.org/stable/26775734
  • Eelager, M.P., Dalbanjan, N.P., Madihalli, S., Madar, M., Agadi, N.P., Korganokar, K., & Kiran, B. (2025). Pathways to a sustainable future: Exploring the synergy between sustainability and circular economy. Sustainable Futures, 10, 101208.
  • Eide, E. R., & Showalter, M. H. (2010). Human Capital. In International Encyclopedia of Education (pp. 282–287). Elsevier. https://doi.org/10.1016/b978-0-08-044894-7.01213-6
  • Herva, M., García-Diéguez, C., Franco-Uría, A., & Roca, E. (2012). New insights on ecological footprinting as environmental indicator for production processes. Ecological Indicators, 16, 84–90. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2011.04.029
  • International Energy Agency (2025). IEA Energy Statistics Data Browser. https://www.iea.org/data-and-statistics/data-tools/energy-statistics-data-browser, publisher: International Energy Agency (IEA), date accessed: 2025-03-25
  • Lewis, Y., & Cohen, B. (2022). Footprint tools. Assessing Progress Towards Sustainability: Frameworks, Tools and Case Studies, 119–135. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-323- 85851-9.00014-6
  • Nautiyal, H., & Goel, V. (2021). Sustainability assessment: Metrics and methods. Methods in Sustainability Science, 27-46. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-823987-2.00017-9
  • Pata, U.K., & Işık, C. (2021). Determinants of the load capacity factor in China: A novel dynamic ARDL approach for ecological footprint accounting. Resources Policy, 74, 102313. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resourpol.2021.102313
  • Pesaran, M. H., Shin, Y., & Smith, R. P. (2001). Bounds testing approaches to the analysis of level relationships. Journal of Applied Econometrics, 16(3), 289326.
  • Presberger, D., & Bernauer, T. (2023). Economic and political drivers of environmental impact shifting between countries. Global Environmental Change, 79, 102637.
  • Rands Barros, A. (2016). Genesis of Brazilian Human Capital. In Roots of Brazilian Relative Economic Backwardness (pp. 111–138). Elsevier. https://doi.org/10.1016/b978-0-12-809756-4.00007-6
  • Tal, A. (2025). The Environmental Impacts of Overpopulation. Encyclopedia, 5(2), 45. https://doi.org/10.3390/encyclopedia5020045
  • Tawiah, V., & Alessa, N. (2025)., "Even climate change is not fair: the impact of climate change on economic outcomes. International Journal of Climate Change Strategies and Management, 17(1), 48–69, doi: https://doi.org/10.1108/IJCCSM-01-2024-0008
  • United Nations (2022). What is renewable energy?, https://www.un.org/en/climatechange/what-is-renewable-energy, Access Date: 3.1.2026
  • Wackernagel, M., & Rees, W. (1996) Our Ecological Footprint: Reducing Human Impact on the Earth. New Society Publishers, Philadelphia.
  • Wackernagel, M., & Kitzes, J. (2008). Ecological Footprint. In Encyclopedia of Ecology (pp. 1031–1037). Elsevier. https://doi.org/10.1016/b978-008045405-4.00620-0
  • Wang, J., & Azam, W. (2024). Natural resource scarcity, fossil fuel energy consumption, and total greenhouse gas emissions in top emitting countries. Geoscience Frontiers, 15, 101757.
  • Zhang, S., Xu, G., Shu, Y., Zhu, J., & Cheng, W. (2024). Comparing developed and emerging nations' Economic development with environmental footprint for low-carbon competitiveness. Heliyon, 10, e34039.
There are 23 citations in total.

Details

Primary Language Turkish
Subjects Time-Series Analysis
Journal Section Research Article
Authors

Bengü Kayapalı Aslan 0000-0002-9398-8921

Submission Date January 11, 2026
Acceptance Date March 23, 2026
Publication Date March 30, 2026
DOI https://doi.org/10.62425/dssh.1861141
IZ https://izlik.org/JA69LA34GR
Published in Issue Year 2026 Volume: 7 Issue: 1

Cite

APA Kayapalı Aslan, B. (2026). Ekonomik Büyüme, Yenilenebilir Enerji ve Beşeri Sermayenin Türkiye’nin Ekolojik Ayakizine Etkileri. Dynamics in Social Sciences and Humanities, 7(1), 19-27. https://doi.org/10.62425/dssh.1861141

Content of this journal is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial 4.0 International License

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