A Study on the Relationship between Economic Growth and the Environment in OECD Countries

Öz

The concept of environmentally sensitive growth, which constitutes a significant output of the process of economic growth and development, first emerged due to the environmental degradation caused by the notion of “growth at any cost.” Particularly, Kuznets’ study in the 1950s, investigating the environmental impacts of growth, has served as a reference for many studies in this field. In this context, the significant negative externalities posed by economic activities, often ruthlessly carried out by industrialized or industrializing countries, form the basic proposition of the environmental Kuznets hypothesis. This study also examines the validity of the Environmental Kuznets Hypothesis within the scope of OECD member countries. Using panel threshold model covering the period 1965-2020, the analysis demonstrates the validity of the Environmental Kuznets Hypothesis, indicating that economic growth significantly influences environmental degradation up to a certain identified income threshold level. However, beyond this threshold level, the impact of economic growth on environmental degradation gradually diminishes. In this regard, the study reveals the concordance of the relationship between economic growth and the environment with the hypothesis in a reverse-U shape.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Economic Growth
• Environmental Kuznets Hypothesis
• Panel Threshold Model.

OECD Ülkelerinde Ekonomik Büyüme ve Çevre İlişkisi Üzerine Bir Araştırma

Öz

Ekonomik büyüme ve kalkınma sürecinin önemli bir çıktısı konumundaki çevreye duyarlı büyüme anlayışı ilk olarak “ne pahasına olursa olsun büyüme” anlayışının oluşturduğu çevresel tahribatlar dolayısıyla kendinden söz ettirmeye başlamıştır. Özellikle büyümenin çevresel etkilerini araştıran Kuznets’in 1950’lerdeki çalışması bu alanda birçok çalışmaya referans olmuştur. Bu bağlamda sanayileşmiş veya sanayileşmekte olan ülkelerin yürüttüğü çoğunlukla acımasız şekilde yürütülen ekonomik faaliyetlerin önemli bir kısmının çevreye sunduğu olumsuz dışsallıklar çevrsel Kuznets hipotezinin temel önermesini oluşturmaktadır. Bu çalışmada da, Çevresel Kuznets Hipotezi’nin geçerliliği OECD üyesi ülkeler kapsamında araştırılmaktadır. 1965-2020 dönemini baz alan çalışmada panel eşik modeli kullanılmıştır. Analiz sonuçları Çevresel Kuznets Hipotezi’nin geçerli olduğunu ortaya koymakla birlikte, ekonomik büyümenin belirlenen eşik gelir düzeyine kadar çevresel tahribat üzerinde önemli derecede etkili olduğunu ortaya koymaktadır. Bununla birlikte belirlenen gelir eşik düzeyinin aşılmasından sonra ekonomik büyümenin çevresel tahribat üzerindeki etkisi giderek yavaşlamaktadır. Bu yönüyle ekonomik büyüme ve çevre ilişkilerinin ters-U şeklinde hipotezle uyum içerisinde olduğunu ortaya koymaktadır.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Ekonomik Büyüme
• Çevresel Kuznets Hipotezi
• Panel Eşik Model

Kaynakça

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