Persistence of Policy Shocks to the Ecological Footprint of MINT Countries

Abstract

The main purpose of this study is to test the stability of the ecological footprint and its sub-components in Mexico, Indonesia, Nigeria, and Turkey (MINT) by performing the Fourier unit root test, which yields reliable results in the presence of an unknown number and form of breaks, on the data obtained over the period 1961–2016. Unit root tests provide information regarding future behaviors based on the previous data of the series. In this respect, suggestions for policymakers can be made by determining that shocks have either permanent or temporary impacts on the series. As a result of the analysis, since the cropland footprint for Mexico; the total ecological footprint and construction area footprint subcomponent for Indonesia; cropland and grazing land footprint subcomponents for Nigeria; and the fishery and forestry subcomponents for Turkey are detected as stationary, it is concluded that policies to reduce the level of pollution are ineffective for these components. Moreover, it was detected that the carbon footprint subcomponent is not stationary in all the MINT countries, and policies to reduce carbon emissions would have permanent impacts.

Keywords

• Ecological footprint
• Fourier unit root
• MINT countries
• Stationary
• Global warming

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