WHAT DETERMINES ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION? THE EFFECTS OF ECONOMIC GROWTH, FOREIGN TRADE, URBANIZATION, AND RENEWABLE ENERGY ON MATERIAL FOOTPRINT IN SELECTED COUNTRIES

Yıl 2025, Cilt: 21 Sayı: 1, 343 - 366, 26.03.2025

Gizem Mukiyen Avcı

Öz

This study analyzes the economic factors determining the material footprint, a significant indicator of environmental degradation, for ten countries that engage in substantial material consumption during production and consumption processes over the 1990-2022 period. The countries included in the study are selected based on their significant roles in international trade-Germany, the United States, Brazil, China, India, and Japan; due to their commitment to environmentally sensitive and sustainable policies. Denmark and Sweden; and their resource-based economies-Australia and South Africa. Using panel cointegration tests, the research analyzes the long-term relationships between material footprint and per capita income level, trade, urbanization, and renewable energy consumption. The findings reveal that economic growth significantly increases the material footprint, while trade openness and renewable energy consumption are found to reduce. In contrast, urbanization does not have a statistically significant effect on the material footprint. Country-specific analyses indicate that the effects of these factors differ among countries. Overall, income has an increasing effect on the material footprint, whereas trade has a mitigating impact. Among the observed country-level differences, it is noteworthy that renewable energy consumption generally reduces the material footprint but has an increasing effect in Brazil and Japan. Furthermore, urbanization is found to decrease the material footprint in Australia and Sweden but increase it in Brazil. The results highlights the importance of developing country-specific environmental policies coordinating to their unique economic and structural conditions, as well as ensuring that economic and trade policies are accordant with environmental sustainability to mitigate environmental degradation and enhance resource efficiency.

Anahtar Kelimeler

Environmental Degradation, Economic Growth, Foreign Trade, Renewable Energy Consumption, Material Footprint

ÇEVRESEL BOZULMAYI NE BELİRLER? SEÇİLMİŞ ÜLKELER İÇİN İKTİSADİ BÜYÜME, DIŞ TİCARET, KENTLEŞME VE YENİLENEBİLİR ENERJİNİN MALZEME AYAK İZİ ÜZERİNDEKİ ETKİLERİ

Öz

Bu çalışma; üretim ve tüketim süreçlerinde önemli ölçüde malzeme tüketimi gerçekleştiren on ülke için 1990-2022 döneminde, çevresel bozulmanın önemli bir göstergesi olan malzeme ayak izini belirleyen iktisadi faktörleri analiz etmektedir. İnceleme kapsamındaki ülkeler; uluslararası ticaretteki önemli rollerinden dolayı Almanya, ABD, Brezilya, Çin, Hindistan ve Japonya; çevreye duyarlı ve sürdürülebilir politikalara verdikleri önem nedeniyle Danimarka ve İsveç; doğal kaynaklara dayalı ekonomilere sahip olmaları dolayısıyla ise Avustralya ve Güney Afrika olarak seçilmiştir. Panel eş bütünleşme testi, kişi başına düşen gelir düzeyi, dış ticaret, kentleşme ve yenilenebilir enerji tüketimi ile malzeme ayak izi arasındaki uzun dönemli ilişkileri analiz etmektedir. Elde edilen bulgular, ekonomik büyümenin malzeme ayak izini anlamlı bir şekilde artırdığını, ticari açıklık ve yenilenebilir enerji tüketiminin ise bu izi azalttığını ortaya koymaktadır. Kentleşmenin ise malzeme ayak izi üzerinde istatistiksel olarak anlamlı bir etkisi bulunamamıştır. Ülkeye özgü analizler, söz konusu faktörlerin etkilerinin ülkeler arasında farklılık gösterdiğini ortaya koymaktadır. Genel anlamda gelirin malzeme ayak izini arttırıcı, dış ticaretin ise azaltıcı etkisi bulunmaktadır. Ülke bazındaki farklılıklar arasında, yenilenebilir enerji tüketimi çoğu ülkede malzeme ayak izini azaltmasına karşın, Brezilya ve Japonya’da bu izi arttırıcı etkide bulunduğu dikkat çekmektedir. Ayrıca kentleşmenin Avustralya ve İsveç’te malzeme ayak izini azaltıcı, Brezilya’da ise artırıcı etkisi olduğu görülmektedir. Sonuçlar, çevresel bozulmayı azaltmak ve kaynak verimliliğini artırmak için, her ülkenin ekonomik ve yapısal koşullarına uygun çevre politikaları geliştirmesinin ve ekonomik ve ticari politikaların çevresel sürdürülebilirlik ile uyumlu hale getirilmesinin önemini vurgulamaktadır.

Anahtar Kelimeler

Çevresel Bozulma, İktisadi Büyüme, Dış Ticaret, Yenilenebilir Enerji Tüketimi, Malzeme Ayak İzi

Kaynakça

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