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Is there an Environmental Kuznets Curve for South Africa? A Co-Summability Approach Using a Century of Data

Author

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  • Adnen Ben Nasr

    (Laboratoire BESTMOD, ISG de Tunis, Universite de Tunis, Tunisia.)

  • Rangan Gupta

    (Department of Economics, University of Pretoria, South Africa.)

  • Joao Ricardo Sato

    (Center of Mathematics, Computation and Cognition, Universidade Federal do ABC,Brazil.)

Abstract

There exists a huge international literature on the, so-called, Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) hypothesis, which in turn, postulates an inverted u-shaped relationship between environmental pollutants and output. The empirical literature on EKC has mainly used test for cointegration, based on polynomial relationships between pollution and income. Motivated by the fact that, measured in per capita CO2 equivalent emissions, South Africa is the world’s most carbon-intensive non-oil-producing developing country, this paper aims to test the validity of the EKC for South Africa. For this purpose, we use a century of data (1911-2010), to capture the process of development better compared to short sample-based research; and the concept of co-summability, which is designed to analyze non-linear long-run relations among persistent processes. Our results, however, provide no support of the EKC for South Africa, implying that to reduce emissions without sacrificing growth, policies should be aimed at promoting energy efficiency.

Suggested Citation

  • Adnen Ben Nasr & Rangan Gupta & Joao Ricardo Sato, 2014. "Is there an Environmental Kuznets Curve for South Africa? A Co-Summability Approach Using a Century of Data," Working Papers 201466, University of Pretoria, Department of Economics.
  • Handle: RePEc:pre:wpaper:201466
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    10. Louis Sevitnenyi Nkwatoh, 2022. "Zero-pollution effect and economic development: standard and nested environmental Kuznets curve analyses for West Africa," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 24(10), pages 11895-11910, October.
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Environmental Kuznets Curve; CO2 emissions; Output; Co-summability; South Africa;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C01 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - General - - - Econometrics
    • C22 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Single Equation Models; Single Variables - - - Time-Series Models; Dynamic Quantile Regressions; Dynamic Treatment Effect Models; Diffusion Processes
    • Q53 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Air Pollution; Water Pollution; Noise; Hazardous Waste; Solid Waste; Recycling

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