Does Environmental Tax Reduce Carbon Emissions? Panel Cointegration Analysis

Year 2025, Volume: 12 Issue: 1, 145 - 156

Dilek Atılgan

Abstract

Rapid climate change and global warming due to the release of greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere have left their mark on the world agenda. Environmental taxes are the most commonly used taxes in the fight against reducing the effect of greenhouse gas emissions. However, the existing literature on theoretical and empirical evidence focusing on the interconnection between environmental taxes and greenhouse gas emissions is quite inadequate. This study examines whether environmental taxes are successful in reducing carbon (CO2) emissions in G7 (Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, England and the USA) countries. Within the scope of data obtained from 1994 to 2014, the impact of environmental tax on CO2 emissions is investigated with variables such as gross domestic product (GDP) per capita, energy use, renewable energy consumption and the importance of the main factors on emissions. Cointegration and cointegration coefficient estimator methods were used for econometric analyses. The findings are that the impact of income and energy use on CO2 emissions is positive and statistically significant, while the impact of environmental tax on CO2 emissions is negative and statistically significant. Accordingly, in the relevant countries, environmental tax produces successful results in reducing CO2 emissions.

Keywords

Environmental tax, CO2 emissions, cointegration test

Çevre Vergisi Karbon Emisyonlarını Azaltmakta Mı? Panel Eşbütünleşme Analizi

Abstract

Sera gazı emisyonlarının atmosfere salınması nedeniyle hızlı iklim değişikliği ve küresel ısınma dünya gündemine damgasını vurmuştur. Sera gazı emisyonlarının etkisinin azaltılması ile mücadelede çevre vergileri en yaygın kullanılan vergilerdir. Ancak çevre vergilerinin sera gazı emisyonları arasındaki karşılıklı bağlantısına odaklanan teorik ve ampirik kanıtlara ilişkin mevcut literatür oldukça yetersizdir. Bu çalışma G7 (Kanada, Fransa, Almanya, İtalya, Japonya, İngiltere ve ABD) ülkelerinde çevre vergisinin karbon (CO2) emisyonunu azaltmada başarılı olup olmadığını incelemektedir. 1994-2014 yıllık veri seti kapsamında çevre vergisinin CO2 emisyonu üzerindeki etkisi kişi başı gayri safi yurtiçi hâsıla (GSYH), enerji tüketimi, yenilenebilir enerji tüketimi gibi değişkenler ile emisyon üzerinde ana etkenlerin önemini araştırmaktadır. Ekonometrik analizler için eşbütünleşme ve eşbütünleşme katsayı tahminci yöntemleri kullanılmıştır. Bulgular, gelirin ve enerji tüketiminin CO2 emisyonları üzerindeki etkisinin pozitif ve istatiksel olarak anlamlı olduğu yönünde iken çevre vergisinin CO2 emisyonları üzerindeki etkisinin negatif ve istatistatiksel olarak anlamlı olduğu yönündedir. Buna göre ilgili ülkelerde çevre vergisi CO2 emisyonlarını azaltmada başarılı sonuçlar ortaya koymaktadır.

Keywords

Çevre vergisi, CO2 emisyonu, eşbütünleşme testi

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