IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/sae/intare/v26y2023i2p144-160.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Testing the environmental Kuznets curve hypothesis in Africa: A focus on the moderating effect of Sino-African economic cooperation1

Author

Listed:
  • Rodrick Molonga Elekeleme

    (Gombe Bar Association/ MBM-CONSEIL Sca Law Firm, DR Congo)

  • Minjun Hong

    (26725Seoul National University, Korea)

Abstract

This study tested whether the Sino-African economic partnership, represented by the share of Chinese foreign direct investment (FDI), affected the validity of the environmental Kuznets curve (EKC) hypothesis in Africa. Therefore, we zeroed in on 41 countries and ran a panel analysis, covering the period ranging from 2003 to 2018, to examine whether the effect of gross domestic product (GDP) per capita on carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) and methane (CH 4 ) emissions per capita was moderated by the share of Chinese FDI stock. We found an overall inverted U-shaped relationship between GDP per capita with CO 2 and CH 4 emissions per capita. We also found that the impact of the GDP per capita on pollutants emissions per capita was contingent upon the level of the share of Chinese FDI. We estimated the turning points of GDP per capita and found that the share of Chinese FDI stock was making the turning point of CO 2 per capita move left and made the data shift from the inverted U-shaped to U-shaped, and the EKC hypothesis was rejected when the share of Chinese FDI increased. On the contrary, the share of Chinese FDI stock was making the turning point of CH 4 per capita move left, and still maintained the inverted U-shaped, and the EKC hypothesis was supported regardless of the magnitude of the share of Chinese FDI. These findings highlight the varying effect of the Sino-African economic ties on the environment depending on the types of pollutants. This conclusion suggests the attainment of economic growth simultaneously with the improvement of environmental quality if the Sino-African economic ties effectively help increase the GDP per capita of African countries, and become environmentally friendly driven. Controlling the type of cooperation on which the Sino-African economic partnership is grounded will be the most determinant factor in lessening the degradation of the environment in Africa.

Suggested Citation

  • Rodrick Molonga Elekeleme & Minjun Hong, 2023. "Testing the environmental Kuznets curve hypothesis in Africa: A focus on the moderating effect of Sino-African economic cooperation1," International Area Studies Review, Center for International Area Studies, Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, vol. 26(2), pages 144-160, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:intare:v:26:y:2023:i:2:p:144-160
    DOI: 10.1177/22338659221120056
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/22338659221120056
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1177/22338659221120056?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Ficawoyi Donou-Adonsou & Sokchea Lim, 2018. "On the importance of Chinese investment in Africa," Review of Development Finance Journal, Chartered Institute of Development Finance, vol. 8(1), pages 63-73.
    2. Goodness C. Aye & Prosper Ebruvwiyo Edoja, 2017. "Effect of economic growth on CO2 emission in developing countries: Evidence from a dynamic panel threshold model," Cogent Economics & Finance, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 5(1), pages 1379239-137, January.
    3. Grossman, G.M & Krueger, A.B., 1991. "Environmental Impacts of a North American Free Trade Agreement," Papers 158, Princeton, Woodrow Wilson School - Public and International Affairs.
    4. He, Jie, 2006. "Pollution haven hypothesis and environmental impacts of foreign direct investment: The case of industrial emission of sulfur dioxide (SO2) in Chinese provinces," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 60(1), pages 228-245, November.
    5. Menyah, Kojo & Wolde-Rufael, Yemane, 2010. "Energy consumption, pollutant emissions and economic growth in South Africa," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 32(6), pages 1374-1382, November.
    6. Magnus Ericsson & Olof Löf & Anton Löf, 2020. "Chinese control over African and global mining—past, present and future," Mineral Economics, Springer;Raw Materials Group (RMG);Luleå University of Technology, vol. 33(1), pages 153-181, July.
    7. William T. Harbaugh & Arik Levinson & David Molloy Wilson, 2002. "Reexamining The Empirical Evidence For An Environmental Kuznets Curve," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 84(3), pages 541-551, August.
    8. Orubu, Christopher O. & Omotor, Douglason G., 2011. "Environmental quality and economic growth: Searching for environmental Kuznets curves for air and water pollutants in Africa," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 39(7), pages 4178-4188, July.
    9. Horii, Ryo & Ikefuji, Masako, 2014. "Environment and Growth," MPRA Paper 53624, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    10. Menyah, Kojo & Wolde-Rufael, Yemane, 2010. "CO2 emissions, nuclear energy, renewable energy and economic growth in the US," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 38(6), pages 2911-2915, June.
    11. Mohammed Al-Surf & Ashraf Balabel & Mamdooh Alwetaishi & Ahmed Abdelhafiz & Usama Issa & Ibrahim Sharaky & Amal Shamseldin & Mosleh Al-Harthi, 2021. "Stakeholder’s Perspective on Green Building Rating Systems in Saudi Arabia: The Case of LEED, Mostadam, and the SDGs," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(15), pages 1-25, July.
    12. Magnus Ericsson & Olof Löf, 2019. "Mining’s contribution to national economies between 1996 and 2016," Mineral Economics, Springer;Raw Materials Group (RMG);Luleå University of Technology, vol. 32(2), pages 223-250, July.
    13. Shafik, Nemat, 1994. "Economic Development and Environmental Quality: An Econometric Analysis," Oxford Economic Papers, Oxford University Press, vol. 46(0), pages 757-773, Supplemen.
    14. Effiong, Ekpeno, 2016. "Urbanization and Environmental Quality in Africa," MPRA Paper 73224, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    15. Li, Tingting & Wang, Yong & Zhao, Dingtao, 2016. "Environmental Kuznets Curve in China: New evidence from dynamic panel analysis," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 91(C), pages 138-147.
    16. Mohamed Abdouli & Sami Hammami, 2018. "The Dynamic Links Between Environmental Quality, Foreign Direct Investment, and Economic Growth in the Middle Eastern and North African Countries (MENA Region)," Journal of the Knowledge Economy, Springer;Portland International Center for Management of Engineering and Technology (PICMET), vol. 9(3), pages 833-853, September.
    17. Stokey, Nancy L, 1998. "Are There Limits to Growth?," International Economic Review, Department of Economics, University of Pennsylvania and Osaka University Institute of Social and Economic Research Association, vol. 39(1), pages 1-31, February.
    18. Coondoo, Dipankor & Dinda, Soumyananda, 2002. "Causality between income and emission: a country group-specific econometric analysis," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 40(3), pages 351-367, March.
    19. Dinda, Soumyananda, 2004. "Environmental Kuznets Curve Hypothesis: A Survey," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 49(4), pages 431-455, August.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    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. Sabuj Kumar Mandal & Devleena Chakravarty, 2017. "Role of energy in estimating turning point of Environmental Kuznets Curve: an econometric analysis of the existing studies," Journal of Social and Economic Development, Springer;Institute for Social and Economic Change, vol. 19(2), pages 387-401, October.
    2. Xiaosheng Li & Xia Yan & Qingxian An & Ke Chen & Zhen Shen, 2016. "The coordination between China’s economic growth and environmental emission from the Environmental Kuznets Curve viewpoint," 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. 83(1), pages 233-252, August.
    3. Sofien, Tiba & Omri, Anis, 2016. "Literature survey on the relationships between energy variables, environment and economic growth," MPRA Paper 82555, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 14 Sep 2016.
    4. Onafowora, Olugbenga A. & Owoye, Oluwole, 2014. "Bounds testing approach to analysis of the environment Kuznets curve hypothesis," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 44(C), pages 47-62.
    5. Jie He, 2007. "Is the Environmental Kuznets Curve hypothesis valid for developing countries? A survey," Cahiers de recherche 07-03, Departement d'économique de l'École de gestion à l'Université de Sherbrooke.
    6. Richard T. Carson, 2010. "The Environmental Kuznets Curve: Seeking Empirical Regularity and Theoretical Structure," Review of Environmental Economics and Policy, Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 4(1), pages 3-23, Winter.
    7. Balsalobre-Lorente, Daniel & Shahbaz, Muhammad & Roubaud, David & Farhani, Sahbi, 2018. "How economic growth, renewable electricity and natural resources contribute to CO2 emissions?," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 113(C), pages 356-367.
    8. Tiba, Sofien & Omri, Anis, 2017. "Literature survey on the relationships between energy, environment and economic growth," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 69(C), pages 1129-1146.
    9. Wang, Kuan-Min, 2012. "Modelling the nonlinear relationship between CO2 emissions from oil and economic growth," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 29(5), pages 1537-1547.
    10. Lee, Chien-Chiang & Chiu, Yi-Bin & Sun, Chia-Hung, 2010. "The environmental Kuznets curve hypothesis for water pollution: Do regions matter?," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 38(1), pages 12-23, January.
    11. Buhari DOĞAN & Osman DEĞER, 2018. "The role of economic growth and energy consumption on CO2 emissions in E7 countries," Theoretical and Applied Economics, Asociatia Generala a Economistilor din Romania / Editura Economica, vol. 0(2(615), S), pages 231-246, Summer.
    12. Ali, Wajahat & Abdullah, Azrai & Azam, Muhammad, 2017. "Re-visiting the environmental Kuznets curve hypothesis for Malaysia: Fresh evidence from ARDL bounds testing approach," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 77(C), pages 990-1000.
    13. Neophyta Empora, 2017. "Air pollution spillovers and U.S. state productivity growth," University of Cyprus Working Papers in Economics 06-2017, University of Cyprus Department of Economics.
    14. Guglielmo Maria Caporale & Gloria Claudio-Quiroga & Luis A. Gil-Alana, 2019. "CO2 Emissions and GDP: Evidence from China," CESifo Working Paper Series 7881, CESifo.
    15. Carson, Richard T, 2009. "Searching for Empirical Regularity and Theoretical Structure: The Environmental Kuznets Curve," University of California at San Diego, Economics Working Paper Series qt4m6263c2, Department of Economics, UC San Diego.
    16. Chen, Ping-Yu & Chen, Sheng-Tung & Hsu, Chia-Sheng & Chen, Chi-Chung, 2016. "Modeling the global relationships among economic growth, energy consumption and CO2 emissions," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 65(C), pages 420-431.
    17. Bali Swain, Ranjula & Kambhampati, Uma S. & Karimu, Amin, 2020. "Regulation, governance and the role of the informal sector in influencing environmental quality?," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 173(C).
    18. Ranganathan, Shyam & Bali Swain, Ranjula, 2014. "Analysing Mechanisms for Meeting Global Emissions Target - A Dynamical Systems Approach," Working Paper Series 2014:10, Uppsala University, Department of Economics.
    19. Saboori, Behnaz & Sulaiman, Jamalludin & Mohd, Saidatulakmal, 2012. "Economic growth and CO2 emissions in Malaysia: A cointegration analysis of the Environmental Kuznets Curve," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 51(C), pages 184-191.
    20. Yang, Zihui & Zhao, Yongliang, 2014. "Energy consumption, carbon emissions, and economic growth in India: Evidence from directed acyclic graphs," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 38(C), pages 533-540.

    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:sae:intare:v:26:y:2023:i:2:p:144-160. 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: SAGE Publications (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.hufs.ac.kr/user/hufsenglish/re_1.jsp .

    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.