IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/forpol/v188y2026ics1389934126001346.html

Forest protection, EKC and LCC dynamics in the world's largest forest nations

Author

Listed:
  • Pata, Ugur Korkut
  • Karlilar Pata, Selin
  • Nathaniel, Solomon Prince

Abstract

This study examines the validity of the Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) and Load Capacity Curve (LCC) hypotheses for the world's five largest forest nations (Brazil, Canada, China, Russia, and the United States) from 1995 to 2020, aiming to understand how economic growth, forest natural capital protection, renewable energy consumption (REC), and urbanization influence forest sustainability. Using annual panel data, the analysis employs the novel Bias-Corrected Method of Moments (BCMM) estimator. The empirical results reveal an inverted U-shaped relationship between income and forest footprint, confirming the forest-based EKC hypothesis, while a U-shaped relationship between income and forest load capacity factor supports the LCC hypothesis, indicating that forest resilience improves only after reaching higher income levels. Forest natural capital protection plays a central role by reducing ecological pressure and enhancing forest load capacity, while urbanization contributes positively through efficiency gains and structural transformation. In contrast, renewable energy consumption is associated with increased forest pressure and reduced load capacity, reflecting land-use and infrastructure demands. These outcomes highlight the importance of strengthening forest protection policies, integrating ecological considerations into renewable energy planning, and promoting development strategies that balance economic growth with long-term forest resilience.

Suggested Citation

  • Pata, Ugur Korkut & Karlilar Pata, Selin & Nathaniel, Solomon Prince, 2026. "Forest protection, EKC and LCC dynamics in the world's largest forest nations," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 188(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:forpol:v:188:y:2026:i:c:s1389934126001346
    DOI: 10.1016/j.forpol.2026.103829
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1389934126001346
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.forpol.2026.103829?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
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to

    for a different version of it.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    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:eee:forpol:v:188:y:2026:i:c:s1389934126001346. 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.

    We have no bibliographic references for this item. You can help adding them by using 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: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/forpol .

    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.