The Role of International Trade and Urbanization on Environmental Technical Efficiency in EU Member and Candidate Countries

Abstract

In recent years, global attention has been devoted towards the devastating effects of high carbon emissions on the environment and economy. The Paris Agreement which was accepted by over 190 countries in December 2015 marks the beginning of a new era towards the battle against climate change. The reason for such a collective action towards a renown global phenomenon is to provide a cleaner environment and sustainable economy for the future generations. Understanding environmental efficiency is one of the most significant aspects of this endeavor. This paper uses environmental efficiency scores estimated through a parametric hyperbolic distance function for EU member and candidate countries over the years 1990-2011, and investigates its relationship with per capita income, industrial share of GDP, openness to trade, and urbanization by using a Tobit model. The results suggest that all the variables are significant determinants of environmental technical efficiency. The relation between environmental technical efficiency and economic development shows a U-shaped curve, whereas industrial share of GDP follows an inverse U-shaped curve. There is an inverse relationship between environmental technical efficiency and openness to trade, and a positive relationship with urbanization

Keywords

• Environmental Technical Efficiency, European Union, Determinants of Efficiency, Environmental Kuznets Curve, Urbanization

Avrupa Birliği Üye ve Aday Ülkelerde Uluslararası Ticaret ve Kentleşmenin Çevresel Teknik Verimlilik Üzerindeki Rolü

Abstract

Son yıllarda küresel dikkat, yüksek karbon emisyonlarının çevre ve ekonomi üzerindeki yıkıcı etkileri konusuna ayrılmıştır. Aralık 2015’te 190’dan fazla ülke tarafından kabul edilen Paris Anlaşması iklim değişikliğine karşı savaşta yeni bir dönemin başlamasını işaret ediyor. Kötü şöhretli bir küresel olguya karşı böylesine bir ortak eylemin amacı, gelecek nesiller için daha temiz bir çevre ve sürdürülebilir ekonomi sağlamaktır. Çevre verimliliğini anlamak bu çabanın en önemli yönlerinden biridir. Bu makale, 1990-2011 yılları arasında AB üye ve aday ülkeleri için parametrik hiperbolik bir mesafe fonksiyonu aracılığıyla tahmin edilen çevresel verimlilik puanları ile kişi başına düşen gelir, sanayinin GSYİH içindeki payı, ticarete açıklık ve kentleşme arasındaki ilişkiyi bir Tobit modeli kullanarak araştırmaktadır. Sonuçlar, tüm değişkenlerin çevresel teknik verimliliğin önemli birer belirleyicisi olduğuna işaret etmektedir. Çevresel teknik verimlilik ile ekonomik kalkınma arasındaki ilişki U şeklinde bir eğriyi gösterirken, sanayinin GSYİH payı ters U şeklinde bir eğri izlemektedir. Çevresel teknik verimliliğin ticarette açıklık ile arasında ters, kentleşme ile pozitif bir ilişkisi vardır

Keywords

• Çevresel Teknik Verimlilik, Avrupa Birliği, Verimlilik Belirleyicileri, Çevresel Kuznet Eğrisi, Kentleşme

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