Sustainable Transportation and Environmental Quality in Germany: Quantitative Evidence on the Role of International Logistics, Trade, and Investment

Year 2025, Volume: 9 Issue: 4, 588 - 601, 31.12.2025

İpek Gürsoy , Sefa Özbek

https://doi.org/10.30939/ijastech..1765276

Abstract

Environmental sustainability is a topic of global debate. Environmental degradation, a frequently discussed topic within the context of sustainable development goals, has been frequently discussed in the context of economic growth and energy consumption. However, the impact of the logistics sector on environmental pollution has received relatively limited discussion. This study examines the impact of logistics activities, trade openness, foreign direct investment, and economic growth on environmental degradation. This research, conducted on Germany, a leading country in the logistics field, is expected to fill a gap in the relevant literature. In this study, the stationarity level of the variables logistics, trade openness, foreign direct investment, economic growth, and environmental degradation for the period 1980-2024 was determined using traditional and Fourier-based unit root and stationarity tests. Based on the results, the long-term relationship between the variables was investigated using the A-ARDL cointegration method proposed by Sam et al. (2019). FMOLS and CCR estimation were used as long-term estimators. The DOLS method was used as a robustness test. The A-ARDL cointegration test findings in the study revealed a long-run relationship between the variables logistics, trade openness, foreign direct investment, economic growth, and environmental degradation. In addition to the FMOLS and CCR tests used in coefficient estimation, the DOLS robustness test results are consistent. The results indicate that logistics activities increase environmental pollution. Conversely, increasing trade openness reduces environmental degradation. Furthermore, increased economic growth improves environmental quality. Given that Germany has a strong presence among developed countries, particularly in logistics activities and export-led growth, the findings of this study provide important insights for policy makers.

Keywords

Environmental pollution , Foreign direct investment , Logistics , Trade openness , Transportation

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