Gelir Eşitsizliğinin CO₂ Emisyonu Üzerindeki Etkisi: Düşük ve Orta Gelirli Ülkelerden Kanıtlar

Öz

Gelir eşitsizliği ile CO₂ emisyonu arasındaki ilişki, çevre ekonomisi literatüründe hem pozitif hem de negatif etkilerin rapor edilmesi nedeniyle uzun süredir tartışılmaktadır. Bu farklı bulgular, gelir eşitsizliği ile çevresel bozulma arasındaki ilişkinin güncelliğini koruduğunu ve dinamik bir araştırma alanı olarak önemini sürdürdüğünü göstermektedir. Bu çalışmada, düşük ve orta gelirli ülkelerde, 2000–2021 dönemine ait yıllık veriler kullanılarak gelir eşitsizliğinin CO₂ emisyonu üzerindeki etkisi incelenmiştir. Analizlerde, olası içsellik ve gözlenemeyen farklılıkları kontrol edebilmek amacıyla Sistem GMM kullanılmıştır. Ampirik bulgular, gelir eşitsizliğini temsilen kullanılan Gini katsayısındaki artışın CO₂ emisyonunu azalttığını göstermektedir. Bulgular aynı zamanda Çevresel Kuznets Eğrisi ile Kirlilik Cenneti hipotezlerinin geçerli olduğunu, ticari açıklık düzeyi ve ekonomik büyüme ile gini katsayısının etkileşimi arttıkça CO₂ emisyonunun artacağını, buna karşın yenilenebilir enerji tüketimi arttıkça CO₂ emisyonunun azalacağını göstermiştir.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Gelir Eşitsizliği
• Gini Katsayısı
• CO₂ Emisyonu
• Panel Veri Analizi

The Effect of Income Inequality on CO₂ Emissions: Findings from Low and Middle Income Countries

Öz

The relationship between income inequality and CO₂ emissions has long been debated in the environmental economics literature due to the reporting of both positive and negative effects. These mixed findings indicate that the link between income inequality and environmental degradation remains a relevant and dynamic area of research. In this study, the effect of income inequality on CO₂ emissions is examined for low- and middle-income countries using annual data for the period 2000–2021. To address potential endogeneity and unobserved heterogeneity, the System GMM is employed. The empirical results reveal that an increase in the Gini coefficient, representing income inequality, reduces CO₂ emissions. Moreover, the findings confirm the validity of both the Environmental Kuznets Curve and the Pollution Haven Hypothesis. The results further indicate that as the interaction between trade openness, economic growth, and income inequality increases, CO₂ emissions tend to rise, while higher levels of renewable energy consumption contribute to lower emissions.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Income Inequality
• Gini Coefficient
• CO₂ Emissions
• Panel Data Analysis

Kaynakça

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