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The impact of urbanization on CO2 emissions: evidence from developing countries

The impact of urbanization on CO2 emissions: evidence from developing countries
The impact of urbanization on CO2 emissions: evidence from developing countries
This paper analyzes the impact of urbanization on CO2 emissions in developing countries from 1975 to 2003. It contributes to the existing literature by examining the effect of urbanization, taking into account dynamics and the presence of heterogeneity in the sample of countries. The results show an inverted-U shaped relationship between urbanization and CO2 emissions. Indeed, the elasticity emission-urbanization is positive for low urbanization levels, which is in accordance with the higher environmental impact observed in less developed regions. Among our contributions is the estimation of a semi-parametric mixture model that allows for unknown distributional shapes and endogenously classifies countries into homogeneous groups. Three groups of countries are identified for which urbanization's impact differs considerably. For two of the groups, a threshold level is identified beyond which the emission-urbanization elasticity is negative and further increases in the urbanization rate do not contribute to higher emissions. However, for the third group only population and affluence, but not urbanization, contribute to explain emissions. The differential impact of urbanization on CO2 emissions should therefore be taken into account in future
CO2 emissions, Developing countries, panel data, semi-parametric mixture model, urbanization
0921-8009
1344-1353
Martinez-Zarzoso, Inmaculada
b5954f3b-6831-4025-8c36-676543da1a2d
Maruotti, Antonello
7096256c-fa1b-4cc1-9ca4-1a60cc3ee12e
Martinez-Zarzoso, Inmaculada
b5954f3b-6831-4025-8c36-676543da1a2d
Maruotti, Antonello
7096256c-fa1b-4cc1-9ca4-1a60cc3ee12e

Martinez-Zarzoso, Inmaculada and Maruotti, Antonello (2011) The impact of urbanization on CO2 emissions: evidence from developing countries. Ecological Economics, 70 (7), 1344-1353. (doi:10.1016/j.ecolecon.2011.02.009).

Record type: Article

Abstract

This paper analyzes the impact of urbanization on CO2 emissions in developing countries from 1975 to 2003. It contributes to the existing literature by examining the effect of urbanization, taking into account dynamics and the presence of heterogeneity in the sample of countries. The results show an inverted-U shaped relationship between urbanization and CO2 emissions. Indeed, the elasticity emission-urbanization is positive for low urbanization levels, which is in accordance with the higher environmental impact observed in less developed regions. Among our contributions is the estimation of a semi-parametric mixture model that allows for unknown distributional shapes and endogenously classifies countries into homogeneous groups. Three groups of countries are identified for which urbanization's impact differs considerably. For two of the groups, a threshold level is identified beyond which the emission-urbanization elasticity is negative and further increases in the urbanization rate do not contribute to higher emissions. However, for the third group only population and affluence, but not urbanization, contribute to explain emissions. The differential impact of urbanization on CO2 emissions should therefore be taken into account in future

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More information

Published date: 15 May 2011
Keywords: CO2 emissions, Developing countries, panel data, semi-parametric mixture model, urbanization
Organisations: Statistics, Statistical Sciences Research Institute

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 341363
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/341363
ISSN: 0921-8009
PURE UUID: 3d32c9db-d824-450d-a513-d101ebfd8db1

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Date deposited: 23 Jul 2012 13:16
Last modified: 14 Mar 2024 11:38

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Contributors

Author: Inmaculada Martinez-Zarzoso
Author: Antonello Maruotti

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