Is The Environmental Kuznets Curve Hypothesis Valid? Evidence From EU Countries

Öz

Environmental pollution and global warming are among the common agenda topics of the whole world. Carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions are the primary trigger of global warming. Economic development and industrialization activities, which are largely based on the use of non-renewable energy resources, cause an increase in CO2 emissions. Although fossil fuels cause environmental pollution, they are used by energy-intensive sectors due to their lower costs, and economic growth is not compromised. However, according to the Environmental Kuznets curve (EKC), some researchers explain that this situation is valid for the early stages of economic growth and that the environment will improve as per capita income increases. According to the EKC hypothesis, environmental degradation increases in the early stages of economic growth but decreases in the later stages due to scale, composition, and technical effects. The goal of this study is to see if the EKC hypothesis is correct. In this context, data obtained from 17 EU countries (Germany, Belgium, Austria, Denmark, Bulgaria, Ireland, Czechia, Finland, France, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Malta, Portugal, Romania, Greece and Spain) based on the period 1993-2018. It was analyzed with second generation panel data techniques. As a result, it has been determined that, while environmental pollution increases during the early stages of economic growth, it decreases during the later stages of economic growth. Additionally, it was investigated whether the countries in question had reached the Environmental Kuznets Curve turning point. Accordingly, it was determined that the countries that reached the EKC turning point were Germany, Ireland, Belgium, Bulgaria, Denmark, Finland, Austria, France, Luxembourg and the Netherlands.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• EKC Hypothesis
• CO2 Emission
• Economic Growth
• CCE-MG

Çevresel Kuznets Eğrisi Hipotezi Geçerli Mi? AB Ülkelerinden Kanıtlar

Öz

Çevre kirliliği ve küresel ısınma tüm dünyanın ortak gündem başlıkları arasında yer almaktadır. Küresel ısınmanın en öncül tetikleyicisi konumunda ise karbondioksit (CO2) emisyonu bulunmaktadır. Büyük ölçüde yenilenemeyen enerji kaynaklarının kullanımına dayalı olarak gerçekleştirilen ekonomik kalkınma ve sanayileşme faaliyetleri CO2 emisyonunun artmasına neden olmaktadır. Fosil yakıtlar çevre kirliliğine neden olmasına rağmen maliyetlerinin daha düşük olmasından ötürü enerji yoğun sektörler tarafından kullanılmakta ve ekonomik büyümenin sağlanmasından taviz verilmemektedir. Ancak bazı araştırmacılar söz konusu bu durumun ekonomik büyümenin ilk aşamaları için geçerli olduğunu ve kişi başına düşen gelirin artmasıyla birlikte çevrede iyileşme meydana geleceğini Çevresel Kuznets Eğrisi (EKC) hipotezi aracılığıyla açıklamaktadırlar. EKC hipotezi ekonomik büyümenin ilk aşamalarında çevresel bozulmanın arttığını ancak ekonomik büyümenin ilerleyen aşamalarında ölçek, kompozisyon ve teknik etkiler sayesinde çevresel bozulmanın azalacağını öne sürmektedir. Bu çalışmanın amacı EKC hipotezinin geçerli olup olmadığını incelemektir. Bu bağlamda 17 AB ülkesinin (Almanya, Belçika, Avusturya, Danimarka, Bulgaristan, İrlanda, Çekya, Finlandiya, Fransa, İtalya, Lüksemburg, Hollanda, Malta, Portekiz, Romanya, Yunanistan ve İspanya) 1993-2018 yılları arası baz alınarak elde edilen veriler ikinci nesil panel veri teknikleriyle analiz edilmiştir. Elde edilen bulgulara göre ekonomik büyümenin ilk aşamalarında çevre kirliliği artarken, ekonomik büyümenin ilerleyen aşamalarında çevre kirliliğinin azaldığı tespit edilerek EKC hipotezi doğrulanmıştır. Ayrıca söz konusu ülkelerin EKC dönüm noktası hesaplanmıştır. Buna göre EKC dönüm noktasına ulaşan ülkeler Almanya, İrlanda, Belçika, Danimarka, Finlandiya, Avusturya, Fransa, Lüksemburg ve Hollanda olduğu tespit edilmiştir.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• EKC Hipotezi
• Ekonomik Büyüme
• CO2 Emisyonu
• CCE-MG

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