IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v14y2022i19p12554-d931953.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Panel Evidence from EU Countries on CO 2 Emission Indicators during the Fourth Industrial Revolution

Author

Listed:
  • Heri Bezić

    (Faculty of Economics and Business, University of Rijeka, 51000 Rijeka, Croatia)

  • Davor Mance

    (Faculty of Economics and Business, University of Rijeka, 51000 Rijeka, Croatia)

  • Davorin Balaž

    (Faculty of Economics and Business, University of Rijeka, 51000 Rijeka, Croatia)

Abstract

Research question and the most important issue in this paper relates to the determination of CO 2 emission drivers in EU and the possibility of its reduction in the era of the fourth industrial revolution. EU strategies and economic policies are directed toward sustainable development, with special emphasis on reducing CO 2 emissions towards carbon neutrality. The method used in this research is the Panel Generalized Method of Moments (GMM) two-step dynamic estimator on 27 EU countries in the period 2012–2019. The research resulted with the following findings: innovation activity, industrial structure and development, human capital, and institutional framework; these are all statistically associated with CO 2 emission levels in a negative manner, thus, contribute significantly to the reduction in CO 2 emissions. Following the empirical results, it may be concluded that reaching sustainable development goals requires the EU to enhance innovation activity, technological development, reshape its industrial structure, create high-quality human capital, and increase the quality of its public institutions.

Suggested Citation

  • Heri Bezić & Davor Mance & Davorin Balaž, 2022. "Panel Evidence from EU Countries on CO 2 Emission Indicators during the Fourth Industrial Revolution," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(19), pages 1-25, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:14:y:2022:i:19:p:12554-:d:931953
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/14/19/12554/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/14/19/12554/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Hansen, Lars Peter, 1982. "Large Sample Properties of Generalized Method of Moments Estimators," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 50(4), pages 1029-1054, July.
    2. Han, Xiaoli & Chatterjee, Lata, 1997. "Impacts of growth and structural change on CO2 emissions of developing countries," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 25(3), pages 395-407, March.
    3. Karl Aiginger, 2014. "Industrial Policy for a Sustainable Growth Path. WWWforEurope Policy Paper No. 13," WIFO Studies, WIFO, number 47261, April.
    4. Azmat Gani, 2012. "The Relationship Between Good Governance And Carbon Dioxide Emissions: Evidence From Developing Economies," Journal of Economic Development, Chung-Ang Unviersity, Department of Economics, vol. 37(1), pages 77-93, March.
    5. Ming-Chung Chang & Jin-Li Hu, 2013. "Public Governance and the Operational and Environmental Efficiencies of EU Countries," Advances in Management and Applied Economics, SCIENPRESS Ltd, vol. 3(4), pages 1-10.
    6. Sefi Roth, 2017. "Air pollution, educational achievements, and human capital formation," IZA World of Labor, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA), pages 381-381, August.
    7. Maurizio Lisciandra & Carlo Migliardo, 2017. "An Empirical Study of the Impact of Corruption on Environmental Performance: Evidence from Panel Data," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 68(2), pages 297-318, October.
    8. Monica Grosso & Fabio Luis Marques dos Santos & Konstantinos Gkoumas & Marcin Stępniak & Ferenc Pekár, 2021. "The Role of Research and Innovation in Europe for the Decarbonisation of Waterborne Transport," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(18), pages 1-21, September.
    9. Irfan Khan & Fujun Hou, 2021. "The Impact of Socio-economic and Environmental Sustainability on CO2 Emissions: A Novel Framework for Thirty IEA Countries," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 155(3), pages 1045-1076, June.
    10. Kaivo-oja, J. & Luukkanen, J. & Panula-Ontto, J. & Vehmas, J. & Chen, Y. & Mikkonen, S. & Auffermann, B., 2014. "Are structural change and modernisation leading to convergence in the CO2 economy? Decomposition analysis of China, EU and USA," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 72(C), pages 115-125.
    11. Jun Wen & Waheed Ali & Jamal Hussain & Nadeem Akhtar Khan & Hadi Hussain & Najabat Ali & Rizwan Akhtar, 2022. "Dynamics between green innovation and environmental quality: new insights into South Asian economies," Economia Politica: Journal of Analytical and Institutional Economics, Springer;Fondazione Edison, vol. 39(2), pages 543-565, July.
    12. Shaikh M. S. U. Eskander & Sam Fankhauser, 2020. "Reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from national climate legislation," Nature Climate Change, Nature, vol. 10(8), pages 750-756, August.
    13. Gilli, Marianna & Mancinelli, Susanna & Mazzanti, Massimiliano, 2014. "Innovation complementarity and environmental productivity effects: Reality or delusion? Evidence from the EU," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 103(C), pages 56-67.
    14. Robert J. Hill & Elisabetta Magnani, 2002. "An Exploration of the Conceptual and Empirical Basis of the Environmental Kuznets Curve," Australian Economic Papers, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 41(2), pages 239-254, June.
    15. Jung Yun Choi & Doo Bong Han, 2018. "The Links between Environmental Innovation and Environmental Performance: Evidence for High- and Middle-Income Countries," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(7), pages 1-14, June.
    16. Cemal Atici, 2009. "Carbon emissions in Central and Eastern Europe: environmental Kuznets curve and implications for sustainable development," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 17(3), pages 155-160.
    17. Piper, Alan T., 2014. "The Benefits, Challenges and Insights of a Dynamic Panel assessment of Life Satisfaction," MPRA Paper 59556, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    18. Nela Vlahinić Lenz & Barbara Fajdetić, 2021. "Globalization and GHG Emissions in the EU: Do We Need a New Development Paradigm?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(17), pages 1-18, September.
    19. Li, Dmitriy D. & Rishi, Meenakshi & Bae, Jeong Hwan, 2021. "Green official development Aid and carbon emissions: do institutions matter?," Environment and Development Economics, Cambridge University Press, vol. 26(1), pages 88-107, February.
    20. Davor Mance & Siniša Vilke & Borna Debelić, 2020. "Sustainable Governance of Coastal Areas and Tourism Impact on Waste Production: Panel Analysis of Croatian Municipalities," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(18), pages 1-16, September.
    21. Davor Mance & Katarina Krunić & Diana Mance, 2021. "Protecting Species by Promoting Protected Areas and Human Development—A Panel Analysis," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(21), pages 1-17, October.
    22. Najabat Ali & Khamphe Phoungthong & Kuaanan Techato & Waheed Ali & Shah Abbas & Joshuva Arockia Dhanraj & Anwar Khan, 2022. "FDI, Green Innovation and Environmental Quality Nexus: New Insights from BRICS Economies," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(4), pages 1-17, February.
    23. Concetta Castiglione & Davide Infante & Janna Smirnova, 2014. "Is There Any Evidence on the Existence of an Environmental Taxation Kuznets Curve? The Case of European Countries under Their Rule of Law Enforcement," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 6(10), pages 1-21, October.
    24. Jorge Flores-Chamba & Michelle López-Sánchez & Pablo Ponce & Patricia Guerrero-Riofrío & José Álvarez-García, 2019. "Economic and Spatial Determinants of Energy Consumption in the European Union," Energies, MDPI, vol. 12(21), pages 1-15, October.
    25. Erdogan, Seyfettin & Kirca, Mustafa & Gedikli, Ayfer, 2020. "Is There a Relationship between CO2 Emissions and Health Expenditures? Evidence from BRICS-T Countries," Business and Economics Research Journal, Uludag University, Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences, vol. 11(2), pages 293-305, April.
    26. Wan-Jiun Chen & Chien-Ho Wang, 2020. "A General Cross-Country Panel Analysis for the Effects of Capitals and Energy, on Economic Growth and Carbon Dioxide Emissions," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(15), pages 1-20, July.
    27. Viktorija Terjanika & Jelena Pubule, 2022. "Barriers and Driving Factors for Sustainable Development of CO 2 Valorisation," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(9), pages 1-16, April.
    28. Kofi Adom, Philip & Bekoe, William & Amuakwa-Mensah, Franklin & Mensah, Justice Tei & Botchway, Ebo, 2012. "Carbon dioxide emissions, economic growth, industrial structure, and technical efficiency: Empirical evidence from Ghana, Senegal, and Morocco on the causal dynamics," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 47(1), pages 314-325.
    29. Xi Lin & Yongle Zhao & Mahmood Ahmad & Zahoor Ahmed & Husam Rjoub & Tomiwa Sunday Adebayo, 2021. "Linking Innovative Human Capital, Economic Growth, and CO 2 Emissions: An Empirical Study Based on Chinese Provincial Panel Data," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(16), pages 1-18, August.
    30. Philippe Aghion & Reinhilde Veugelers & Clément Serre, 2009. "Cold Start for the Green Innovation Machine," Policy Contributions 354, Bruegel.
    31. Asim Anwar & Mustafa Younis & Inayat Ullah, 2020. "Impact of Urbanization and Economic Growth on CO 2 Emission: A Case of Far East Asian Countries," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(7), pages 1-8, April.
    32. Nicolae Stef & Sami Ben Jabeur, 2020. "Climate Change Legislations and Environmental Degradation," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 77(4), pages 839-868, December.
    33. Jinkai Li & Jingjing Ma & Wei Wei, 2020. "Analysis and Evaluation of the Regional Characteristics of Carbon Emission Efficiency for China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(8), pages 1-22, April.
    34. Vieira, Leticia Canal & Longo, Mariolina & Mura, Matteo, 2021. "Are the European manufacturing and energy sectors on track for achieving net-zero emissions in 2050? An empirical analysis," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 156(C).
    35. Zhou, Xiaoyan & Zhang, Jie & Li, Junpeng, 2013. "Industrial structural transformation and carbon dioxide emissions in China," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 57(C), pages 43-51.
    36. Karl Aiginger, 2014. "Industrial Policy for a Sustainable Growth Path," WIFO Working Papers 469, WIFO.
    37. Braun, Marcel, 2009. "The evolution of emissions trading in the European Union - The role of policy networks, knowledge and policy entrepreneurs," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 34(3-4), pages 469-487, April.
    38. 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.
    39. Celil Aydin & Ömer Esen, 2018. "Reducing CO2 emissions in the EU member states: Do environmental taxes work?," Journal of Environmental Planning and Management, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 61(13), pages 2396-2420, November.
    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. Torok Laszlo, 2023. "Correlation of Greenhouse Gas Emissions with Economic Growth in the European Union (2010-2019)," International Journal of Energy Economics and Policy, Econjournals, vol. 13(4), pages 102-110, July.

    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. Lingyun He & Fang Yin & Zhangqi Zhong & Zhihua Ding, 2017. "The impact of local government investment on the carbon emissions reduction effect: An empirical analysis of panel data from 30 provinces and municipalities in China," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 12(7), pages 1-20, July.
    2. Bekhzod Kuziboev & Ergash Ibadullaev & Olimjon Saidmamatov & Alibek Rajabov & Peter Marty & Sherzodbek Ruzmetov & Alisher Sherov, 2023. "The Role of Renewable Energy and Human Capital in Reducing Environmental Degradation in Europe and Central Asia: Panel Quantile Regression and GMM Approach," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(22), pages 1-12, November.
    3. 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.
    4. Kaewnern, Hathaipat & Wangkumharn, Sirikul & Deeyaonarn, Wongsathon & Yousaf, Abaid Ullah & Kongbuamai, Nattapan, 2023. "Investigating the role of research development and renewable energy on human development: An insight from the top ten human development index countries," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 262(PB).
    5. Jianguo Zhou & Baoling Jin & Shijuan Du & Ping Zhang, 2018. "Scenario Analysis of Carbon Emissions of Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei," Energies, MDPI, vol. 11(6), pages 1-17, June.
    6. Jahanger, Atif & Hossain, Mohammad Razib & Usman, Muhammad & Chukwuma Onwe, Joshua, 2023. "Recent scenario and nexus between natural resource dependence, energy use and pollution cycles in BRICS region: Does the mediating role of human capital exist?," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 81(C).
    7. Daniela Nicoleta Sahlian & Adriana Florina Popa & Raluca Florentina Creţu, 2021. "Does the Increase in Renewable Energy Influence GDP Growth? An EU-28 Analysis," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(16), pages 1-16, August.
    8. Arminen, Heli & Menegaki, Angeliki N., 2019. "Corruption, climate and the energy-environment-growth nexus," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 80(C), pages 621-634.
    9. Dong Jichang & He Jing & Li Xiuting & Mou Xindi & Dong Zhi, 2020. "The Effect of Industrial Structure Change on Carbon Dioxide Emissions: A Cross-Country Panel Analysis," Journal of Systems Science and Information, De Gruyter, vol. 8(1), pages 1-16, February.
    10. Patricia Laurens & Christian Le Bas & Stéphane Lhuillery & Antoine Schoen, 2017. "The determinants of cleaner energy innovations of the world’s largest firms: the impact of firm learning and knowledge capital," Economics of Innovation and New Technology, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 26(4), pages 311-333, May.
    11. Abdelaziz Boukhelkhal, 2022. "Energy use, economic growth and CO2 emissions in Africa: does the environmental Kuznets curve hypothesis exist? New evidence from heterogeneous panel under cross-sectional dependence," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 24(11), pages 13083-13110, November.
    12. Kangyin Dong & Xiucheng Dong & Qingzhe Jiang, 2020. "How renewable energy consumption lower global CO2 emissions? Evidence from countries with different income levels," The World Economy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 43(6), pages 1665-1698, June.
    13. Stefan Ederer, 2015. "Macroeconomic Imbalances and Institutional Reforms in the EMU. WWWforEurope Working Paper No. 87," WIFO Studies, WIFO, number 57896, April.
    14. Karim, Sitara & Appiah, Michael & Naeem, Muhammad Abubakr & Lucey, Brian M. & Li, Mingxing, 2022. "Modelling the role of institutional quality on carbon emissions in Sub-Saharan African countries," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 198(C), pages 213-221.
    15. Muhammad Shahbaz & Avik Sinha, 2019. "Environmental Kuznets curve for CO2emissions: a literature survey," Journal of Economic Studies, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 46(1), pages 106-168, January.
    16. Abid, Mehdi, 2016. "Impact of economic, financial, and institutional factors on CO2 emissions: Evidence from Sub-Saharan Africa economies," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 41(C), pages 85-94.
    17. Liang, Xiaoying & Min Fan, & Xiao, Yuting & Yao, Jing, 2022. "Temporal-spatial characteristics of energy-based carbon dioxide emissions and driving factors during 2004–2019, China," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 261(PA).
    18. 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.
    19. Susanna Ulinski, 2015. "Corporate Social Innovation as a Driver of Performance and Welfare. WWWforEurope Policy Paper No. 25," WIFO Studies, WIFO, number 58500, April.
    20. Muhammad Khan, 2020. "CO2 emissions and sustainable economic development: New evidence on the role of human capital," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 28(5), pages 1279-1288, September.

    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:gam:jsusta:v:14:y:2022:i:19:p:12554-:d:931953. 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: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    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.