Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

New insights into the environmental Kuznets curve hypothesis in developing and transition economies: a literature survey

  • Research Article
  • Published:
Environmental Economics and Policy Studies Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

We perform an updated literature survey on pollution-growth nexus via the environmental Kuznets curve (EKC) hypothesis, both from theoretical and empirical standpoints. First, we conduct a literature review on the most well-known rationale behind the EKC prevalence and discuss the key components of the research design when estimating the EKC. Second, we bring together the most influential empirical papers published in the last decade, which focus on EKC estimation in developing and transition economies. Overall, succeeding to curtail some of the deficiencies suggested by theoretical contributions, the recent empirical studies might indicate a certain consensus regarding pollution-growth nexus, and EKC validity. On one hand, reinforcing the EKC nature, several studies reveal a long-run relationship between indicators. On the other hand, according to income coefficients’ signs, the traditional bell-shaped pattern seems to be at work for some developing and transition economies. However, in some cases, the estimated turning point lies outside the income sample range, calling into question not only the true pattern between pollution and growth but also the identification of EKC. Taken collectively, both the theoretical foundations and empirical evidence, could contribute to a better understanding of the pollution-growth nexus in the EKC context, and suggest some useful insights into the future works on the subject as well as the crucial policy implications in this group of countries.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1

Similar content being viewed by others

Notes

  1. https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/content/documents/5987our-common-future.pdf.

  2. In this paper, the term ''developing'' refers to both developing and emerging economies.

  3. It is worth mentioning that we do not argue that this type of analysis should be performed instead of a parametric one, or provide better results at the advantage of fewer assumptions.

  4. We take China as an example since a large number of studies considered focus on testing EKC for this country, compared to other states. However, a comparison could be made for the other states as well. Besides, we look for an overall behavior independent of the period analyzed, pollution indicator, and empirical methodology.

  5. Also, the parametric quadratic function implies symmetry since, at both sides of the threshold, the pollution increases and decrease by the same rate.

  6. We discuss here some of the recent developments of panel data techniques, as panels include both N and T dimensions, and the EKC is usually tested using panel data models. Still, it is worth mentioning that the advanced in the time-series econometric tools are more or less similar.

  7.  = number of molecules of the gas per million (106) molecules of dry air.

  8. https://ane4bf-datap1.s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/wmocms/s3fs-public/ckeditor/files/GHG_Bulletin_13_EN_final_1_1.pdf?LGJNmHpwKkEG2Qw4mEQjdm6bWxgWAJHa.

  9. We exclude Japan and the US from our analysis, considering that they belong to the group of developed countries. However, we keep the EU(28) and include the World as they also comprise the developing and transition countries.

  10. Due to data availability for the EU(28), the Russian Federation, and at the global level, the period covered is 1990-2016. Also, in the empirical analysis, we use the natural logarithm of the data.

  11. For more information related to nonparametric regression models, see Cleveland (1979), Cleveland (1981), Robinson (1983), Cleveland and Devlin (1988), Cleveland and Loader (1996), Henderson and Parmeter (2015), among others.

  12. We present the nonparametric regression models solely in a descriptive way, to better visualize and disentangle the pollution-growth nexus patterns. As such, we do not concern ourselves with variable nonstationary, cointegration, and other technical aspects related to time-series econometrics, these being beyond the aim of the present study. However, we note that some of those aspects are discussed during the paper theoretically.

  13. We note that the review of the literature is not exhaustive, as we include studies published between 2010 and 2019 in popular journals on the subject, which meet the needs of the present work.

  14. The studies that embody both types of analysis are included in the section in which we consider that the primary analysis harmonize.

References

  • Adebola Solarin S, Al-Mulali U, Ozturk I (2017) Validating the environmental Kuznets curve hypothesis in India and China: the role of hydroelectricity consumption. Renew Sustain Energy Rev 80:1578–1587

    Google Scholar 

  • Ahmad N, Du L, Lu J, Wang J, Li HZ, Hashmi MZ (2017) Modelling the CO2 emissions and economic growth in Croatia: is there any environmental Kuznets curve? Energy 123:164–172

    Google Scholar 

  • Alam MM, Murad MW, Noman AHM, Ozturk I (2016) Relationships among carbon emissions, economic growth, energy consumption and population growth: testing environmental Kuznets curve hypothesis for Brazil, China, India and Indonesia. Ecol Ind 70:466–479

    Google Scholar 

  • Albulescu CT, Tiwari AK, Yoon S-M, Kang SH (2019) FDI, income, and environmental pollution in Latin America: replication and extension using panel quantiles regression analysis. Energy Econ 84:104504

    Google Scholar 

  • Ali W, Abdullah A, Azam M (2017) Re-visiting the environmental Kuznets curve hypothesis for Malaysia: fresh evidence from ARDL bounds testing approach. Renew Sustain Energy Rev 77:990–1000

    Google Scholar 

  • Al-Mulali U, Saboori B, Ozturk I (2015) Investigating the environmental Kuznets curve hypothesis in Vietnam. Energy Policy 76:123–131

    Google Scholar 

  • Alshehry AS, Belloumi M (2017) Study of the environmental Kuznets curve for transport carbon dioxide emissions in Saudi Arabia. Renew Sustain Energy Rev 75:1339–1347

    Google Scholar 

  • Alvarado R, Ponce P, Criollo A, Córdova K, Khan MK (2018) Environmental degradation and real per capita output: new evidence at the global level grouping countries by income levels. J Clean Prod 189:13–20

    Google Scholar 

  • Andreoni J, Levinson A (2001) The simple analytics of the environmental Kuznets curve. J Public Econ 80:269–286

    Google Scholar 

  • Arouri MEH, Ben Youssef A, M’henni H, Rault C (2012) Energy consumption, economic growth and CO2 emissions in Middle East and North African countries. Energy Policy 45:342–349

    Google Scholar 

  • Awad A (2019) Does economic integration damage or benefit the environment? Africa’s experience. Energy Policy 32:991–999

    Google Scholar 

  • Azam M, Mahmudul Alam M, Haroon Hafeez M (2018) Effect of tourism on environmental pollution: further evidence from Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand. J Clean Prod 190:330–338

    Google Scholar 

  • Azlina AA, Law SH, Nik Mustapha NH (2014) Dynamic linkages among transport energy consumption, income and CO2 emission in Malaysia. Energy Policy 73:598–606

    Google Scholar 

  • Baek J, Kim HS (2013) Is economic growth good or bad for the environment? Empirical evidence from Korea Energy Economics 36:744–749

    Google Scholar 

  • Barra C, Zotti R (2017) Investigating the non-linearity between national income and environmental pollution: international evidence of Kuznets curve. Environ Econ Policy Stud 20:179–210

    Google Scholar 

  • Basiago AD (1999) Economic, social, and environmental sustainability in development theory and urban planning practice. Environmentalist 19:145–161

    Google Scholar 

  • Begum RA, Sohag K, Abdullah SMS, Jaafar M (2015) CO2 emissions, energy consumption, economic and population growth in Malaysia. Renew Sustain Energy Rev 41:594–601

    Google Scholar 

  • Bekhet HA, Othman NS (2018) The role of renewable energy to validate dynamic interaction between CO2 emissions and GDP toward sustainable development in Malaysia. Energy Econ 72:47–61

    Google Scholar 

  • Ben Jebli M, Ben Youssef S (2015) The environmental Kuznets curve, economic growth, renewable and non-renewable energy, and trade in Tunisia. Renew Sustain Energy Rev 47:173–185

    Google Scholar 

  • Bernard JT, Gavin M, Khalaf L, Voia M (2014) Environmental Kuznets curve: tipping points, uncertainty and weak identification. Environ Resour Econ 60:285–315

    Google Scholar 

  • Bo S (2011) A literature survey on environmental Kuznets curve. Energy Procedia 5:1322–1325

    Google Scholar 

  • Bölük G, Mert M (2015) The renewable energy, growth and environmental Kuznets curve in Turkey: an ARDL approach. Renew Sustain Energy Rev 52:587–595

    Google Scholar 

  • Borghesi S (1999) The environmental Kuznets curve: a survey of the literature. FEEM working paper no 85-99

  • Boutabba MA (2014) The impact of financial development, income, energy and trade on carbon emissions: evidence from the Indian economy. Econ Model 40:33–41

    Google Scholar 

  • Bouznit M, Pablo-Romero MDP (2016) CO2 emission and economic growth in Algeria. Energy Policy 96:93–104

    Google Scholar 

  • Brock WA, Taylor MS (2005) Economic growth and the environment: a review of theory and empirics. In Handbook of economic growth, pp 1749–1821

  • Brock WA, Taylor MS (2010) The green solow model. J Econ Growth 15:127–153

    Google Scholar 

  • Bruneau JF, Echevarria C (2009) The poor are green too. J Int Coop Stud 16:1–22

    Google Scholar 

  • Carson RT (2009) The environmental Kuznets curve: seeking empirical regularity and theoretical structure. Rev Environ Econ Policy 4:3–23

    Google Scholar 

  • Chandran VGR, Tang CF (2013) The impacts of transport energy consumption, foreign direct investment and income on v emissions in ASEAN-5 economies. Renew Sustain Energy Rev 24:445–453

    Google Scholar 

  • Charfeddine L (2017) The impact of energy consumption and economic development on ecological footprint and CO2 emissions: evidence from a Markov switching equilibrium correction model. Energy Econ 65:355–374

    Google Scholar 

  • Charfeddine L, Mrabet Z (2017) The impact of economic development and social-political factors on ecological footprint: a panel data analysis for 15 MENA countries. Renew Sustain Energy Rev 76:138–154

    Google Scholar 

  • Chen L, Chen S (2015) The estimation of environmental Kuznets curve in China: nonparametric panel approach. Comput Econ 46:405–420

    Google Scholar 

  • Chen H, Hao Y, Li J, Song X (2018) The impact of environmental regulation, shadow economy, and corruption on environmental quality: theory and empirical evidence from China. J Clean Prod 195:200–214

    Google Scholar 

  • Chen X, Huang B, Lin C-T (2019a) Environmental awareness and environmental Kuznets curve. Econ Model 77:2–11

    Google Scholar 

  • Chen Y, Wang Z, Zhong Z (2019b) CO2 emissions, economic growth, renewable and non-renewable energy production and foreign trade in China. Renew Energy 131:208–216

    Google Scholar 

  • Chimeli AB, Braden JB (2008) A capital scarcity theory of the environmetal Kuznets curve. Environ Dev Econ 14:541–564

    Google Scholar 

  • Chudik A, Pesaran MH (2015) Common correlated effects estimation of heterogeneous dynamic panel data models with weakly exogenous regressors. J Econom 188:393–420

    Google Scholar 

  • Chudik A, Mohaddes K, Pesaran MH, Raissi M (2016) Long-run effects in large heterogeneous panel data models with cross-sectionally correlated errors. Essays in honor of Aman Ullah. Adv Econom 36:85–135

    Google Scholar 

  • Ciegis R, Ramanauskiene J, Martinkus B (2009) The concept of sustainable development and its use for sustainability scenarios. Inz Ekon Eng Econ 62:28–37

    Google Scholar 

  • Cleveland WS (1979) Robust locally weighted regression and smoothing scatterplots. J Am Stat Assoc 74:829–836

    Google Scholar 

  • Cleveland WS (1981) LOWESS: a program for smoothing scatterplots by robust locally weighted regression. Am Stat 35:54

    Google Scholar 

  • Cleveland WS, Devlin SJ (1988) Locally weighted regression: an approach to regression analysis by local fitting. J Am Stat Assoc 83:596–610

    Google Scholar 

  • Cleveland WS, Loader C (1996) Smoothing by local regression: principles and methods. In: Härdle W, Schimek MG (eds) Statistical theory and computational aspects of smoothing contributions to statistics. Physica-Verlag, Heidelberg

    Google Scholar 

  • Cole MA, Rayner AJ, Bates JM (1997) The environmental Kuznets curve: an empirical analysis. Environ Dev Econ 2:401–416

    Google Scholar 

  • Culas RJ (2012) REDD and forest transition: tunneling through the environmental Kuznets curve. Ecol Econ 79:44–51

    Google Scholar 

  • Danish, Zhang B, Wang B, Wang Z (2017) Role of renewable energy and non-renewable energy consumption on EKC: evidence from Pakistan. J Clean Prod 156:855–864

    Google Scholar 

  • Dasgupta S, Laplante B, Wang H, Wheeler D (2002) Confronting the environmental Kuznets curve. J Econ Perspect 16:147–168

    Google Scholar 

  • Dehghan Shabani Z, Shahnazi R (2018) Energy consumption, carbon dioxide emissions, information and communications technology, and gross domestic product in Iranian economic sectors: a panel causality analysis. Energy 169:1064–1078

    Google Scholar 

  • Destek MA, Sarkodie SA (2019) Investigation of environmental Kuznets curve for ecological footprint: the role of energy and financial development. Sci Total Environ 650:2483–2489

    Google Scholar 

  • Di Vita G (2008) Is the discount rate relevant in explaining the environmental Kuznets curve? J Policy Model 30:197–207

    Google Scholar 

  • Dinda S (2004) Environmental Kuznets curve hypothesis: a survey. Ecol Econ 49:431–455

    Google Scholar 

  • Dinda S (2005) A theoretical basis for the environmental Kuznets curve. Ecol Econ 53:403–413

    Google Scholar 

  • Dong K, Sun R, Jiang H, Zeng X (2018) CO2 emissions, economic growth, and the environmental Kuznets curve in China: what roles can nuclear energy and renewable energy play? J Clean Prod 196:51–63

    Google Scholar 

  • Du L, Wei C, Cai S (2012) Economic development and carbon dioxide emissions in China: provincial panel data analysis. China Econ Rev 23:371–384

    Google Scholar 

  • Eberhardt M, Bond S (2009) Cross-section dependence in non-stationary panel models: a novel estimator. MPRA paper no. 17692

  • Eberhardt M, Teal F (2010) Productivity analysis in global manufacturing production. Economics Series, working paper 515, University of Oxford

  • Egli H, Steger TM (2007) A dynamic model of the environmental Kuznets curve: turning point and public policy. Environ Resour Econ 36:15–34

    Google Scholar 

  • Farhani S, Chaibi A, Rault C (2014) CO2 emissions, output, energy consumption, and trade in Tunisia. Econ Model 38:426–434

    Google Scholar 

  • Fodha M, Zaghdoud O (2010) Economic growth and pollutant emissions in Tunisia: an empirical analysis of the environmental Kuznets curve. Energy Policy 38:1150–1156

    Google Scholar 

  • Fosten J (2019) CO2 emissions and economic activity: a short-to-medium run perspective. Energy Econ 83:415–429

    Google Scholar 

  • Ghalwash TM (2007) Demand for environmental quality: an empirical analysis of consumer behavior in Sweden. Environ Resour Econ 41:71–87

    Google Scholar 

  • Grossman GM, Krueger AB (1991) Environmental impacts of the North American free trade agreement. John M. Ohlin program discussion paper no. 158, Princeton. http://www.nber.org/papers/w3914.pdf

  • Halicioglu F, Ketenci N (2016) The impact of international trade on environmental quality: the case of transition countries. Energy 109:1130–1138

    Google Scholar 

  • Halkos GE, Bampatsou C (2018) Economic growth and environmental degradation: a conditional nonparametric frontier analysis. Environ Econ Policy Stud 21:325–347

    Google Scholar 

  • Hanif I, Faraz Raza SM, Gago-de-Santos P, Abbas Q (2019) Fossil fuels, foreign direct investment, and economic growth have triggered CO2 emissions in emerging Asian economies: some empirical evidence. Energy 171:493–501

    Google Scholar 

  • Hao Y, Liu Y, Weng JH, Gao Y (2016) Does the environmental Kuznets curve for coal consumption in China exist? New evidence from spatial econometric analysis. Energy 114:1214–1223

    Google Scholar 

  • Hao Y, Deng Y, Lu Z-N, Chen H (2018a) Is environmental regulation effective in China? Evidence from city-level panel data. J Clean Prod 188:966–976

    Google Scholar 

  • Hao Y, Wu Y, Wang L, Huang J (2018b) Re-examine environmental Kuznets curve in China: spatial estimations using environmental quality index. Sustain Cities Soc 42:498–511

    Google Scholar 

  • Hartman R, Kwon OS (2005) Sustainable growth and the environmental Kuznets curve. J Econ Dyn Control 29:1701–1736

    Google Scholar 

  • Haug AA, Ucal M (2019) The role of trade and FDI for CO2 emissions in Turkey: nonlinear relationships. Energy Econ 81:297–307

    Google Scholar 

  • He J (2007) Is the environmental Kuznets curve hypothesis valid for developing countries? A survey. Cahiers de recherche 07-03, Departement d’Economique de l’École de gestion à l’Université de Sherbrooke

  • Henderson DJ, Parmeter CF (2015) Applied nonparametric econometrics. Cambridge University Press, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Holden E, Linnerud K, Banister D (2014) Sustainable development: our common future revisited. Glob Environ Change 26:130–139

    Google Scholar 

  • Hove S, Tursoy T (2019) An investigation of the environmental Kuznets curve in emerging economies. J Clean Prod 236:117628

    Google Scholar 

  • Hussain M, Irfan Javaid M, Drake PR (2012) An econometric study of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, energy consumption, and economic growth of Pakistan International. J Energy Sector Manag 6:518–533

    Google Scholar 

  • Jalil A, Feridun M (2011) The impact of growth, energy and financial development on the environment in China: a cointegration analysis. Energy Econ 33:284–291

    Google Scholar 

  • Jammazi R, Aloui C (2015) Environment degradation, economic growth and energy consumption nexus: a wavelet-windowed cross correlation approach. Phys A 436:110–125

    Google Scholar 

  • Janssens-Maenhout G, Crippa M, Guizzardi D, Muntean M, Schaaf E, Olivier JGJ, Peters JAHW, Schure KM (2017) Fossil CO2 and GHG emissions of all world countries, EUR 28766 EN. Publ Office Eur Union. https://doi.org/10.2760/709792

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jayanthakumaran K, Verma R, Liu Y (2012) CO2 emissions, energy consumption, trade and income: a comparative analysis of China and India. Energy Policy 42:450–460

    Google Scholar 

  • John A, Pecchenino R (1994) An overlapping generations model of growth and the environment. Econ J 104:1393–1410

    Google Scholar 

  • John A, Pecchenino R, Schimmelpfennig D, Schreft S (1995) Short-lived agents and the long-lived environment. J Public Econ 58:127–141

    Google Scholar 

  • Jones LE, Manuelli RE (2001) Endogenous policy choice: the case of pollution and growth. Rev Econ Dyn 4:369–405

    Google Scholar 

  • Joshi P, Beck K (2018) Democracy and carbon dioxide emissions: assessing the interactions of political and economic freedom and the environmental Kuznets curve. Energy Res Social Sci 39:46–54

    Google Scholar 

  • Kaika D, Zervas E (2013a) The environmental Kuznets curve (EKC) theory-part A: concept, causes and the CO2 emissions case. Energy Policy 62:1392–1402

    Google Scholar 

  • Kaika D, Zervas E (2013b) The environmental Kuznets curve (EKC) theory part B: critical issues. Energy Policy 62:1403–1411

    Google Scholar 

  • Kalmaz DB, Kirikkaleli D (2019) Modeling CO2 emissions in an emerging market: empirical finding from ARDL-based bounds and wavelet coherence approaches. Environ Sci Pollut Res 26:5210–5220

    Google Scholar 

  • Kang YQ, Zhao T, Yang YY (2016) Environmental Kuznets curve for CO2 emissions in China: a spatial panel data approach. Ecol Ind 63:231–239

    Google Scholar 

  • Kanjilal K, Ghosh S (2013) Environmental Kuznet’s curve for India: evidence from tests for cointegration with unknown structural breaks. Energy Policy 56:509–515

    Google Scholar 

  • Katircioğlu ST (2014) Testing the tourism-induced EKC hypothesis: the case of Singapore. Econ Model 41:383–391

    Google Scholar 

  • Kijima M, Nishide K, Ohyama A (2010) Economic models for the environmental Kuznets curve: a survey. J Econ Dyn Control 34:1187–1201

    Google Scholar 

  • Kijima M, Nishide K, Ohyama A (2011) EKC-type transitions and environmental policy under pollutant uncertainty and cost irreversibility. J Econ Dyn Control 35:746–763

    Google Scholar 

  • Kim D-H, Suen Y-B, Lin SC (2019) Carbon dioxide emissions and trade: evidence from disaggregate trade data. Energy Econ 78:13–28

    Google Scholar 

  • Kristrom B, Riera P (1996) Is the income elasticity of environmental improvements less than one? Environ Resour Econ 7:45–55

    Google Scholar 

  • Lau LS, Choong CK, Eng YK (2014) Investigation of the environmental Kuznets curve for carbon emissions in Malaysia: do foreign direct investment and trade matter? Energy Policy 68:490–497

    Google Scholar 

  • Lazăr D, Minea A, Purcel AA (2019) Pollution and economic growth: evidence from central and eastern European countries. Energy Econ 81:1121–1131

    Google Scholar 

  • Leblois A, Damette O, Wolfersberger J (2017) What has driven deforestation in developing countries since the 2000s? Evidence from new remote-sensing data. World Dev 92:82–102

    Google Scholar 

  • Li T, Wang Y, Zhao D (2016) Environmental Kuznets curve in China: new evidence from dynamic panel analysis. Energy Policy 91:138–147

    Google Scholar 

  • Li J, Luo Y, Wang S (2019) Spatial effects of economic performance on the carbon intensity of human well-being: the environmental Kuznets curve in Chinese provinces. J Clean Prod 233:681–694

    Google Scholar 

  • Lieb CM (2002) The environmental Kuznets curve and satiation: a simple static model. Environ Dev Econ 7:429–448

    Google Scholar 

  • Lieb CM (2003) The environmental Kuznets curve-a survey of the empirical evidence and of possible causes. University of Heidelberg, Department of Economics, Discussion Paper Series, no 391

  • Lieb CM (2004) The environmental Kuznets curve and flow versus stock pollution: the neglect of future damages. Environ Resour Econ 29:483–506

    Google Scholar 

  • Lind JT, Mehlum H (2010) With or without U? The appropriate test for a U-shaped relationship. Oxf Bull Econ Stat 72:109–118

    Google Scholar 

  • Liu Y, Yan B, Zhou Y (2015) Urbanization, economic growth, and carbon dioxide emissions in China: a panel cointegration and causality analysis. J Geogr Sci 26:131–152

    Google Scholar 

  • Liu JX, Qu JY, Zhao K (2019) Is China’s development conforms to the environmental Kuznets curve hypothesis and the pollution haven hypothesis? J Clean Prod 234:787–796

    Google Scholar 

  • Lopez R (1994) The environment as a factor of production: the effects of economic growth and trade liberalization. J Environ Econ Manag 27:163–184

    Google Scholar 

  • Lopez R, Mitra S (2000) Corruption, pollution, and the Kuznets environment curve. J Environ Econ Manag 40:137–150

    Google Scholar 

  • Lucas REB, Wheeler D, Hettige H (1992) Economic development, environmental regulation, and the international migration of toxic industrial pollution: 1960-88, Policy Research Working Paper Series 1062, The World Bank

  • Luzzati T, Orsini M, Gucciardi G (2018) A multiscale reassessment of the environmental Kuznets curve for energy and CO2 emissions. Energy Policy 122:612–621

    Google Scholar 

  • Malthus TR (1798) An essay on the principle of population, as it affects the future improvement of society, with remarks on the speculations of Mr. Godwin, M. Condorcet, and Other Writers (London: J. Johnson), 1st edition. https://oll.libertyfund.org/titles/311

  • Martini C, Tiezzi S (2014) Is the environment a luxury? An empirical investigation using revealed preferences and household production. Resour Energy Econ 37:147–167

    Google Scholar 

  • McConnell KE (1997) Income and the demand for environmental quality. Environ Dev Econ 2:383–399

    Google Scholar 

  • Meadows DH, Meadows D, Randers J, Behrens WW III (1972) The limits to growth; a report for the club of Rome’s project on the predicament of mankind. Universe Books, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Millimet DL, List JA, Stengos T (2003) The environmental Kuznets curve: real progress or misspecified models. Rev Econ Stat 8594:1038–1047

    Google Scholar 

  • Miyama E, Managi S (2014) Global environmental emissions estimate: application of multiple imputation. Environ Econo Policy Stud 16:115–135

    Google Scholar 

  • Mrabet Z, Alsamara M (2017) Testing the Kuznets curve hypothesis for Qatar: a comparison between carbon dioxide and ecological footprint. Renew Sustain Energy Rev 70:1366–1375

    Google Scholar 

  • Munasinghe M (1999) Is environmental degradation an inevitable consequence of economic growth: tunneling through the environmental Kuznets curve. Ecol Econ 29:89–109

    Google Scholar 

  • Mutascu M, Pereau JC, Ursu E (2016) A wavelet analysis of the environmental Kuznets curve in France. Cahiers du GREThA 2016-10, Groupe de Recherche en Economie Théorique et Appliquée (GREThA)

  • Narayan PK, Narayan S (2010) Carbon dioxide emissions and economic growth: panel data evidence from developing countries. Energy Policy 38:661–666

    Google Scholar 

  • Nasir M, Ur Rehman F (2011) Environmental Kuznets Curve for carbon emissions in Pakistan: an empirical investigation. Energy Policy 39:1857–1864

    Google Scholar 

  • Nasir MA, Duc Huynh TL, Xuan Tram HT (2019) Role of financial development, economic growth & foreign direct investment in driving climate change: a case of emerging ASEAN. J Environ Manag 242:131–141

    Google Scholar 

  • Olivier JGJ, Janssens-Maenhout KM, Schure M, Peters JAHW (2017) Trends in global CO2 and total greenhouse gas emissions report. PBL Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency, The Hague. https://www.pbl.nl/sites/default/files/cms/publicaties/pbl-2017-trends-in-global-CO2-and-total-greenhouse-gas-emissons-2017-report_2674.pdf

  • Omri A (2018) Entrepreneurship, sectoral outputs and environmental improvement: international evidence. Technol Forecast Soc Change 128:46–55

    Google Scholar 

  • Onafowora OA, Owoye O (2014) Bounds testing approach to analysis of the environment Kuznets curve hypothesis. Energy Econ 44:47–62

    Google Scholar 

  • Ordás Criado C, Valente S, Stengos T (2011) Growth and pollution convergence: theory and evidence. J Environ Econ Manag 62:199–214

    Google Scholar 

  • Osabuohien ES, Efobi UR, Gitau CMW (2014) Beyond the environmental Kuznets curve in Africa: evidence from panel cointegration. J Environ Plan Policy Manag 16:517–538

    Google Scholar 

  • Ozcan B (2013) The nexus between carbon emissions, energy consumption and economic growth in Middle East countries: a panel data analysis. Energy Policy 62:1138–1147

    Google Scholar 

  • Özokcu S, Özdemir Ö (2017) Economic growth, energy, and environmental Kuznets curve. Renew Sustain Energy Rev 72:639–647

    Google Scholar 

  • Ozturk I, Al-Mulali U (2015) Investigating the validity of the environment Kuznets curve hypothesis in Cambodia. Ecol Ind 57:324–330

    Google Scholar 

  • Panayotou T (1993) Empirical tests and policy analysis of environmental degradation at different stages of economic development, Working Paper no 238, Technology and Employment Programme, ILO, Geneva

  • Panayotou T (2003) Economic growth and the environment. Econ Surv Eur 2:45–72

    Google Scholar 

  • Pao HT, Tsai CM (2010) CO2 emissions, energy consumption and economic growth in BRIC countries. Energy Policy 38:7850–7860

    Google Scholar 

  • Pao HT, Tsai CM (2011) Multivariate Granger causality between CO2 emissions, energy consumption, FDI (foreign direct investment) and GDP (gross domestic product): evidence from a panel of BRIC (Brazil, Russian Federation, India, and China) countries. Energy 36:685–693

    Google Scholar 

  • Pao HT, Yu HC, Yang YH (2011) Modeling the CO2 emissions, energy use, and economic growth in Russia. Energy 36:5094–5100

    Google Scholar 

  • Park S, Lee Y (2011) Regional model of EKC for air pollution: evidence from the Republic of Korea. Energy Policy 39:5840–5849

    Google Scholar 

  • Pasten R, Figueroa BE (2012) The environmental Kuznets curve: a survey of the theoretical literature. Int Rev Environ Resour Econ 6:195–224

    Google Scholar 

  • Pata UK (2018) The influence of coal and noncarbohydrate energy consumption on CO2 emissions: revisiting the environmental Kuznets curve hypothesis for Turkey. Energy 160:1115–1123

    Google Scholar 

  • Pearce D, Palmer C (2005) Public and private spending for environmental protection: a cross-country policy analysis. Fiscal Stud 22:403–456

    Google Scholar 

  • Pesaran HM (2006) Estimation and inference in large heterogeneous panels with a multifactorerror structure. Econometrica 74:967–1012

    Google Scholar 

  • Pesaran HM, Smith R (1995) Estimating long-run relationships from dynamic heterogeneous panels. J Econom 68:79–113

    Google Scholar 

  • Pesaran HM, Shin Y, Smith RP (1999) Pooled mean group estimation of dynamic heterogeneous panels. J Am Stat Assoc 94:621–634

    Google Scholar 

  • Prieur F (2009) The environmental Kuznets curve in a world of irreversibility. Econ Theor 40:57–90

    Google Scholar 

  • Purcel AA (2019) Does political stability hinder pollution? Evidence from developing states. Econ Res Guard 9:75–98

    Google Scholar 

  • Raza SA, Shah N, Sharif A (2019) Time frequency relationship between energy consumption, economic growth and environmental degradation in the United States: evidence from transportation sector. Energy 173:706–720

    Google Scholar 

  • Ridzuan S (2019) Inequality and the environmental Kuznets curve. J Clean Prod 228:1472–1481

    Google Scholar 

  • Riti JS, Song D, Shu Y, Kamah M (2017) Decoupling CO2 emission and economic growth in China: is there consistency in estimation results in analyzing environmental Kuznets curve? J Clean Prod 166:1448–1461

    Google Scholar 

  • Robinson P (1983) Nonparametric estimators for time series. J Time Ser Anal 4:185–207

    Google Scholar 

  • Ronaghi M, Reed M, Saghaian S (2019) The impact of economic factors and governance on greenhouse gas emission. Environ Econ Policy Stud. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10018-019-00250-w

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Saboori B, Sulaiman J (2013a) CO2 emissions, energy consumption and economic growth in Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries: a cointegration approach. Energy 55:813–822

    Google Scholar 

  • Saboori B, Sulaiman J (2013b) Environmental degradation, economic growth and energy consumption: evidence of the environmental Kuznets curve in Malaysia. Energy Policy 60:892–905

    Google Scholar 

  • Saboori B, Sulaiman J, Mohd S (2012) Economic growth and CO2 emissions in Malaysia: a cointegration analysis of the environmental Kuznets curve. Energy Policy 51:184–191

    Google Scholar 

  • Sandmo A (2015) The early history of environmental economics. Rev Environ Econ Policy 9:43–63

    Google Scholar 

  • Schleicher C (2002) An introduction to wavelets for economists. Working paper 2002-3 Bank of Canada

  • Seghezzo L (2009) The five dimensions of sustainability. Environ Polit 18:539–556

    Google Scholar 

  • Selden TM, Song D (1995) Neoclassical growth, the J curve for abatement and the inverted U curve for pollution. J Environ Econ Manag 29:162–168

    Google Scholar 

  • Sen S, Melenberg B, Vollebergh HRJ (2016) Identification and estimation of the environmental Kuznets curve: pairwise differencing to deal with nonlinearity and nonstationarity. CESifo Working Paper Series 5837, CESifo Group Munich

  • Shafik N, Bandyopadhyay S (1992) Economic growth and environmental quality: Time series and cross-country evidence. The World Bank, Washington, DC, Working Paper No 904

  • Shahbaz M, Sinha A (2019) Environmental Kuznets curve for CO2 emissions: a literature survey. J Econ Stud 46:106–168

    Google Scholar 

  • Shahbaz M, Mutascu M, Azim P (2013) Environmental Kuznets curve in Romania and the role of energy consumption. Renew Sustain Energy Rev 18:165–173

    Google Scholar 

  • Shahbaz M, Khraief N, Uddin GS, Ozturk I (2014) Environmental Kuznets curve in an open economy: a bounds testing and causality analysis for Tunisia. Renew Sustain Energy Rev 34:325–336

    Google Scholar 

  • Shahbaz M, Mallick H, Mahalik MK, Loganathan N (2015) Does globalization impede environmental quality in India? Ecol Ind 52:379–393

    Google Scholar 

  • Sinha A, Bhattacharya J (2017) Estimation of environmental Kuznets curve for SO2 emission: a case of Indian cities. Ecol Ind 72:881–894

    Google Scholar 

  • Sinha A, Shahbaz M (2018) Estimation of environmental Kuznets curve for CO2 emission: role of renewable energy generation in India. Renew Energy 119:703–711

    Google Scholar 

  • Solow RM (1956) A contribution to the theory of economic growth. Q J Econ 70:65–94

    Google Scholar 

  • Stern DI (2003) The environmental Kuznets curve. Online Encyclopedia of Ecological Economics

  • Stern DI (2004) The rise and fall of the environmental Kuznets curve. World Dev 32:1419–1439

    Google Scholar 

  • Stern DI (2010) Between estimates of the emissions-income elasticity. Ecol Econ 69:2173–2182

    Google Scholar 

  • Stern DI (2015) The environmental Kuznets curve after 25 years. CCEP working papers 1514, Centre for Climate Economics and Policy, Crawford School of Public Policy, The Australian National University

  • Stern DI, Common MS (2001) Is there an environmental Kuznets curve for sulfur? J Environ Econ Manag 41:162–178

    Google Scholar 

  • Stern D, Zha D (2016) Economic growth and particulate pollution concentrations in China. Environ Econ Policy Stud 18:327–338

    Google Scholar 

  • Stern DI, Common MS, Barbier EB (1996) Economic growth and environmental degradation: a critique of the environmental Kuznets curve. World Dev 24:1151–1160

    Google Scholar 

  • Stern DI, Gerlagh R, Burke PJ (2017) Modeling the emissions–income relationship using long-run growth rates. Environ Dev Econ 22:699–724

    Google Scholar 

  • Stoddart H (2011) A pocket guide to sustainable development governance. Stakeholder Forum, Commonwealth Secretariat

  • Stokey NL (1998) Are there limits to growth? Int Econ Rev 39:1–31

    Google Scholar 

  • Sugiawan Y, Managi S (2016) The environmental Kuznets curve in Indonesia: exploring the potential of renewable energy. Energy Policy 98:187–198

    Google Scholar 

  • Suri V, Chapman D (1998) Economic growth, trade and energy: implications for the environmental Kuznets curve. Ecol Econ 25:195–208

    Google Scholar 

  • Tahvonen O, Salo S (2001) Economic growth and transitions between renewable and nonrenewable energy resources. Eur Econ Rev 458:1379–1398

    Google Scholar 

  • Tiba S, Omri A (2017) Literature survey on the relationships between energy, environment and economic growth. Renew Sustain Energy Rev 69:1129–1146

    Google Scholar 

  • Tiwari AK, Shahbaz M, Hye QMA (2013) The environmental Kuznets curve and the role of coal consumption in India: co-integration and causality analysis in an open economy. Renew Sustain Energy Rev 18:519–552

    Google Scholar 

  • Tsurumi T, Managi S (2010a) Decomposition of the environmental Kuznets curve: scale, technique, and composition effects. Environ Econ Policy Stud 11:19–36

    Google Scholar 

  • Tsurumi T, Managi S (2010b) Does energy substitution affect carbon dioxide emissions-income relationship? J Jpn Int Econ 24:540–551

    Google Scholar 

  • Ulucak R, Bilgili F (2018) A reinvestigation of EKC model by ecological footprint measurement for high, middle and low income countries. J Clean Prod 188:144–157

    Google Scholar 

  • United Nations General Assembly (1987) Report of the world commission on environment and development: Our common future. United Nations General Assembly, Development and International Co-operation: Environment, Oslo. https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/content/documents/5987our-common-future.pdf

  • Vollebergh HRJ, Melenberg B, Dijkgraaf E (2009) Identifying reduced-form relations with panel data: the case of pollution and income. J Environ Econ Manag 58:27–42

    Google Scholar 

  • Wagner M (2008) The carbon Kuznets curve: a cloudy picture emitted by bad econometrics? Resour Energy Econ 30:388–408

    Google Scholar 

  • Wang L, Zhou D, Wang Y, Zha D (2015) An empirical study of the environmental Kuznets curve for environmental quality in Gangsu Province. Ecol Ind 56:96–105

    Google Scholar 

  • Wang Y, Han R, Kubota J (2016) Is there an environmental Kuznets curve for SO2 emissions? A semi-parametric panel data analysis for China. Renew Sustain Energy Rev 54:1182–1188

    Google Scholar 

  • Waqih MAU, Bhutto NA, Ghumro NH, Kumar S, Salam MA (2019) Rising environmental degradation and impact of foreign direct investment: an empirical evidence from SAARC region. J Environ Manag 243:472–480

    Google Scholar 

  • Wenbo G, Yan C (2018) Assessing the efficiency of China’s environmental regulation on carbon emissions based on Tapio decoupling models and GMM models. Energy Rep 4:713–723

    Google Scholar 

  • Wirl F (2006) Pollution thresholds under uncertainty. Environ Dev Econ 11:493–506

    Google Scholar 

  • Wolde-Rufael Y, Idowu S (2017) Income distribution and CO2 emission: a comparative analysis for China and India. Renew Sustain Energy Rev 74:1336–1345

    Google Scholar 

  • World Bank (2018) World development indicators. https://data.worldbank.org/indicator

  • World Meteorological Organization. Greenhouse Gas Bulletin (2017) The state of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere based on global observations through 2016, No. 13. https://ane4bf-datap1.s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/wmocms/s3fs-public/ckeditor/files/GHG_Bulletin_13_EN_final_1_1.pdf?LGJNmHpwKkEG2Qw4mEQjdm6bWxgWAJHa. Accessed 30 Oct 2017

  • Yang H, He J, Chen S (2015) The fragility of the environmental Kuznets curve: revisiting the hypothesis with Chinese data via an ‘‘Extreme Bound Analysis’‘. Ecol Econ 109:41–58

    Google Scholar 

  • Yao S, Zhang S, Zhang X (2019) Renewable energy, carbon emission and economic growth: a revised environmental Kuznets curve perspective. J Clean Prod 235:1338–1352

    Google Scholar 

  • Zambrano-Monserrate M, Carvajal-Lara C, Urgilés-Sanchez R, Ruano MA (2018a) Deforestation as an indicator of environmental degradation: analysis of five European countries. Ecol Ind 90:1–8

    Google Scholar 

  • Zambrano-Monserrate MA, Silva-Zambrano CA, Davalos-Penafiel JL, Zambrano-Monserrate A, Ruano MA (2018b) Testing environmental Kuznets curve hypothesis in Peru: the role of renewable electricity, petroleum and dry natural gas. Renew Sustain Energy Rev 82:4170–4178

    Google Scholar 

  • Zhang C, Wang Y, Song X, Kubota J, He Y, Tojo J, Zhu X (2017) An integrated specification for the nexus of water pollution and economic growth in China: panel cointegration, long-run causality and environmental Kuznets curve. Sci Total Environ 609:319–328

    Google Scholar 

  • Zhao J, Zhao Z, Zhang H (2019) The impact of growth, energy and financial development on environmental pollution in China: new evidence from a spatial econometric analysis. Energy Econ. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eneco.2019.104506

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zugravu-Soilita N (2018) The impact of trade in environmental goods on pollution: what are we learning from the transition economies’ experience? Environ Econ Policy Stud 20:785–827

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

I am indebted to the Editor (Shunsuke Managi), three anonymous referees, and Dorina Lazăr and Alexandru Minea for very constructive comments and suggestions that improved the manuscript significantly. I also gratefully acknowledge the support from the French Embassy and the French Institute in Romania. All remaining errors are mine. Usual disclaimers apply.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, Babeș-Bolyai University, Teodor Mihali St. 58-60, 400591, Cluj-Napoca, Romania

    Alexandra-Anca Purcel

  2. Université Clermont Auvergne, CNRS, IRD, CERDI, 63000, Clermont-Ferrand, France

    Alexandra-Anca Purcel

Authors
  1. Alexandra-Anca Purcel
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Alexandra-Anca Purcel.

Additional information

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Purcel, AA. New insights into the environmental Kuznets curve hypothesis in developing and transition economies: a literature survey . Environ Econ Policy Stud 22, 585–631 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10018-020-00272-9

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10018-020-00272-9

Keywords

JEL classification

Search

Navigation