IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/aes/amfeco/v24y2022i61p613.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

An Empirical Assessment of the Financial Development – Environmental Quality Nexus in the European Union

Author

Listed:
  • Alexandra Horobet

    (Bucharest University of Economic Studies, Bucharest, Romania)

  • Irina Mnohoghitnei

    (Bucharest University of Economic Studies, Bucharest, Romania)

  • Dan Gabriel Dumitrescu

    (Bucharest University of Economic Studies, Bucharest, Romania)

  • Stefania Cristina Curea

    (Bucharest University of Economic Studies, Bucharest, Romania)

  • Lucian Belascu

    (“Lucian Blaga” University of Sibiu, Romania)

Abstract

Our study examines the dynamic relationship between financial development and environmental degradation in the European Union (EU) in a panel VAR (Vector Autoregressive) methodological framework over the period 1996-2018. Panel causality tests and impulse response functions show that financial development contributes to higher carbon emissions, although this effect is stronger in the short run and weaker in the long run. At the same time, financial institutions development is the major contributor to fostering increased environmental degradation instead of financial markets, which points towards an engagement of financial institutions towards offering financial products that led to environmental degradation and/or lagging financial markets in terms of promoting environmentally-related securities and ESG principles. By providing new insights into the relationship between financial development and carbon emissions, we hope to assist EU policymakers and businesses in reconsidering the role of financial development as an effective means of decreasing environmental degradation in the region.

Suggested Citation

  • Alexandra Horobet & Irina Mnohoghitnei & Dan Gabriel Dumitrescu & Stefania Cristina Curea & Lucian Belascu, 2022. "An Empirical Assessment of the Financial Development – Environmental Quality Nexus in the European Union," The AMFITEATRU ECONOMIC journal, Academy of Economic Studies - Bucharest, Romania, vol. 24(61), pages 613-613, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:aes:amfeco:v:24:y:2022:i:61:p:613
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.amfiteatrueconomic.ro/temp/Article_3131.pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Cheng Cheng & Xiaohang Ren & Zhen Wang & Yukun Shi, 2018. "The Impacts of Non-Fossil Energy, Economic Growth, Energy Consumption, and Oil Price on Carbon Intensity: Evidence from a Panel Quantile Regression Analysis of EU 28," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(11), pages 1-20, November.
    2. Canova, Fabio & Ciccarelli, Matteo, 2013. "Panel Vector Autoregressive Models: A Survey," CEPR Discussion Papers 9380, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    3. Panicos Demetriades & Siong Hook Law, 2006. "Finance, institutions and economic development," International Journal of Finance & Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 11(3), pages 245-260.
    4. Ross Levine, 1997. "Financial Development and Economic Growth: Views and Agenda," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 35(2), pages 688-726, June.
    5. Muhammad, Bashir, 2019. "Energy consumption, CO2 emissions and economic growth in developed, emerging and Middle East and North Africa countries," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 179(C), pages 232-245.
    6. Charfeddine, Lanouar & Mrabet, Zouhair, 2017. "The impact of economic development and social-political factors on ecological footprint: A panel data analysis for 15 MENA countries," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 76(C), pages 138-154.
    7. Dumitrescu, Elena-Ivona & Hurlin, Christophe, 2012. "Testing for Granger non-causality in heterogeneous panels," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 29(4), pages 1450-1460.
    8. Ms. Ratna Sahay & Mr. Martin Cihak & Mr. Papa M N'Diaye & Mr. Adolfo Barajas & Ms. Diana B Ayala Pena & Ran Bi & Miss Yuan Gao & Ms. Annette J Kyobe & Lam Nguyen & Christian Saborowski & Katsiaryna Sv, 2015. "Rethinking Financial Deepening: Stability and Growth in Emerging Markets," IMF Staff Discussion Notes 2015/008, International Monetary Fund.
    9. repec:imf:imfsdn:15/8 is not listed on IDEAS
    10. Yilmaz Bayar & Laura Diaconu (Maxim) & Andrei Maxim, 2020. "Financial Development and CO 2 Emissions in Post-Transition European Union Countries," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(7), pages 1-15, March.
    11. Olimpia Neagu, 2019. "The Link between Economic Complexity and Carbon Emissions in the European Union Countries: A Model Based on the Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) Approach," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(17), pages 1-27, August.
    12. Mignamissi, Dieudonné & Djijo T., Audrey J., 2021. "Digital divide and financial development in Africa," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 45(9).
    13. Usama Al-Mulali & Ilhan Ozturk & Hooi Lean, 2015. "The influence of economic growth, urbanization, trade openness, financial development, and renewable energy on pollution in Europe," Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, Springer;International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, vol. 79(1), pages 621-644, October.
    14. Demetriades, Panicos O. & Hussein, Khaled A., 1996. "Does financial development cause economic growth? Time-series evidence from 16 countries," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 51(2), pages 387-411, December.
    15. Love, Inessa & Zicchino, Lea, 2006. "Financial development and dynamic investment behavior: Evidence from panel VAR," The Quarterly Review of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 46(2), pages 190-210, May.
    16. Bai, Jushan & Ng, Serena, 2010. "Panel Unit Root Tests With Cross-Section Dependence: A Further Investigation," Econometric Theory, Cambridge University Press, vol. 26(4), pages 1088-1114, August.
    17. Berdiev, Aziz N. & Saunoris, James W., 2016. "Financial development and the shadow economy: A panel VAR analysis," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 57(C), pages 197-207.
    18. Ozturk, Ilhan & Acaravci, Ali, 2013. "The long-run and causal analysis of energy, growth, openness and financial development on carbon emissions in Turkey," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 36(C), pages 262-267.
    19. Mohamed Amine Boutabba, 2014. "The impact of financial development, income, energy and trade on carbon emissions: Evidence from the Indian economy," Post-Print hal-02877966, HAL.
    20. Alexandra Horobet & Oana Cristina Popovici & Emanuela Zlatea & Lucian Belascu & Dan Gabriel Dumitrescu & Stefania Cristina Curea, 2021. "Long-Run Dynamics of Gas Emissions, Economic Growth, and Low-Carbon Energy in the European Union: The Fostering Effect of FDI and Trade," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(10), pages 1-30, May.
    21. Boutabba, Mohamed Amine, 2014. "The impact of financial development, income, energy and trade on carbon emissions: Evidence from the Indian economy," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 40(C), pages 33-41.
    22. Vlad-Cosmin Bulai & Alexandra Horobet & Oana Cristina Popovici & Lucian Belascu & Sofia Adriana Dumitrescu, 2021. "A VaR-Based Methodology for Assessing Carbon Price Risk across European Union Economic Sectors," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(24), pages 1-21, December.
    23. Cândida Ferreira, 2017. "Relevance of the EU Banking Sector to Economic Growth," International Advances in Economic Research, Springer;International Atlantic Economic Society, vol. 23(2), pages 203-215, May.
    24. Ratna Sahay & Martin Cihak & Papa M N'Diaye & Adolfo Barajas & Diana B Ayala Pena & Ran Bi & Yuan Gao & Annette J Kyobe & Lam Nguyen & Christian Saborowski & Katsiaryna Svirydzenka & Seyed Reza Yousef, 2015. "Rethinking Financial Deepening; Stability and Growth in Emerging Markets," IMF Staff Discussion Notes 15/08, International Monetary Fund.
    25. Dogan, Eyup & Seker, Fahri, 2016. "Determinants of CO2 emissions in the European Union: The role of renewable and non-renewable energy," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 94(C), pages 429-439.
    26. Çoban, Serap & Topcu, Mert, 2013. "The nexus between financial development and energy consumption in the EU: A dynamic panel data analysis," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 39(C), pages 81-88.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Olimpia Neagu & Andrei Marius Anghelina & Mircea Constantin Teodoru & Marius Boiță & Katalin Gabriela David, 2023. "Could Globalisation and Renewable Energy Contribute to a Decarbonised Economy in the European Union?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(22), pages 1-26, November.
    2. Alexandra Horobet & Lucian Belascu & Magdalena Radulescu & Daniel Balsalobre-Lorente & Cosmin-Alin Botoroga & Cristina-Carmencita Negreanu, 2024. "Exploring the Nexus between Greenhouse Emissions, Environmental Degradation and Green Energy in Europe: A Critique of the Environmental Kuznets Curve," Energies, MDPI, vol. 17(20), pages 1-29, October.
    3. POPESCU Consuela-Elena & PENTESCU Alma & SHIVAROV Aleksandar, 2023. "Sustainability, ESG Ratings and Corporate Performance in the Manufacturing Sector: A Research Review," European Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies, Bucharest Economic Academy, issue 02, June.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Yilmaz Bayar & Laura Diaconu (Maxim) & Andrei Maxim, 2020. "Financial Development and CO 2 Emissions in Post-Transition European Union Countries," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(7), pages 1-15, March.
    2. Ouyang, Yaofu & Li, Peng, 2018. "On the nexus of financial development, economic growth, and energy consumption in China: New perspective from a GMM panel VAR approach," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 71(C), pages 238-252.
    3. Muhammad Shahbaz & Mehmet Akif Destek & Michael L. Polemis, 2018. "Do Foreign Capital and Financial Development Affect Clean Energy Consumption and Carbon Emissions? Evidence from BRICS and Next-11 Countries," SPOUDAI Journal of Economics and Business, SPOUDAI Journal of Economics and Business, University of Piraeus, vol. 68(4), pages 20-50, October-D.
    4. Shahbaz, Muhammad & Hoang, Thi Hong Van & Mahalik, Mantu Kumar & Roubaud, David, 2017. "Energy consumption, financial development and economic growth in India: New evidence from a nonlinear and asymmetric analysis," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 63(C), pages 199-212.
    5. Kumar Debasis Dutta & Mallika Saha, 2023. "Does financial development cause sustainable development? A PVAR approach," Economic Change and Restructuring, Springer, vol. 56(2), pages 879-917, April.
    6. Cândida Ferreira, 2021. "Panel Granger Causality Between Financial Development and Economic Growth," International Advances in Economic Research, Springer;International Atlantic Economic Society, vol. 27(4), pages 333-335, November.
    7. Paramati, Sudharshan Reddy & Ummalla, Mallesh & Apergis, Nicholas, 2016. "The effect of foreign direct investment and stock market growth on clean energy use across a panel of emerging market economies," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 56(C), pages 29-41.
    8. Adarov, Amat, 2021. "Dynamic interactions between financial cycles, business cycles and macroeconomic imbalances: A panel VAR analysis," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 74(C), pages 434-451.
    9. Guangdong Xu & Binwei Gui, 2021. "The non‐linearity between finance and economic growth: a literature review and evidence from China," Asian-Pacific Economic Literature, The Crawford School, The Australian National University, vol. 35(1), pages 3-18, May.
    10. Ngo, Thanh & Trinh, Hai Hong & Haouas, Ilham & Ullah, Subhan, 2022. "Examining the bidirectional nexus between financial development and green growth: International evidence through the roles of human capital and education expenditure," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 79(C).
    11. Mumin Atalay Cetin & Ibrahim Bakirtas, 2020. "The long-run environmental impacts of economic growth, financial development, and energy consumption: Evidence from emerging markets," Energy & Environment, , vol. 31(4), pages 634-655, June.
    12. Alfalih, Abdulaziz Abdulmohsen & Hadj, Tarek Bel, 2022. "Financialization, natural resources rents and environmental sustainability dynamics in Saudi Arabia under high and low regimes," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 76(C).
    13. Chimere O. Iheonu & Ogochukwu C. Anyanwu & Obinna K. Odo & Solomon Prince Nathaniel, 2021. "Does Economic Growth, International Trade and Urbanization uphold Environmental Sustainability in sub-Saharan Africa? Insights from Quantile and Causality Procedures," Working Papers of the African Governance and Development Institute. 21/003, African Governance and Development Institute..
    14. Umme Habiba & Cao Xinbang, 2022. "An Investigation of the Dynamic Relationships Between Financial Development, Renewable Energy Use, and CO2 Emissions," SAGE Open, , vol. 12(4), pages 21582440221, November.
    15. Junguo Shi & Hubert Visas & Jabbar Ul-Haq & Shujaat Abbas & Sana Khanum, 2023. "Investigating the impact of export product diversification on environmental degradation: evidence from Chinese Provinces," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 25(10), pages 11455-11486, October.
    16. Ammar Jreisat, 2021. "Financial Development and Economic Growth Impact on the Environmental Degradation in Jordan," International Journal of Energy Economics and Policy, Econjournals, vol. 11(4), pages 157-161.
    17. Ali Matar, 2020. "Does electricity consumption impacting financial development? Wavelet analysis," Future Business Journal, Springer, vol. 6(1), pages 1-9, December.
    18. Hussain Ali Bekhet & Raed Walid Al-Smadi, 2016. "The dynamic causality between FDI inflow and its determinants in Jordan," International Journal of Economics and Business Research, Inderscience Enterprises Ltd, vol. 11(1), pages 26-47.
    19. Hanen Ragoubi & Zouheir Mighri, 2021. "Spillover effects of trade openness on CO2 emissions in middle‐income countries: A spatial panel data approach," Regional Science Policy & Practice, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 13(3), pages 835-877, June.
    20. Iftikhar Yasin & Nawaz Ahmad & Muhammad Aslam Chaudhary, 2021. "The impact of financial development, political institutions, and urbanization on environmental degradation: evidence from 59 less-developed economies," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 23(5), pages 6698-6721, May.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Financial development; carbon emissions; financial markets; financial institutions; EU; panel VAR; impulse response.;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • G20 - Financial Economics - - Financial Institutions and Services - - - General
    • O13 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Agriculture; Natural Resources; Environment; Other Primary Products
    • O44 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Growth and Aggregate Productivity - - - Environment and Growth

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:aes:amfeco:v:24:y:2022:i:61:p:613. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Valentin Dumitru (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/aseeero.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.