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# U.S. State-Level Carbon Dioxide Emissions: A Spatial-Temporal Econometric Approach of the Environmental Kuznets Curve

## Author

Listed:
• Burnett, J. Wesley
• Bergstrom, John C.

## Abstract

One of the major criticisms of past environmental Kuznets curve (EKC) studies is that the spatiotemporal aspects within the data have largely been ignored. By ignoring the spatial aspect of pollution emissions past estimates of the EKC implicitly assume that a region’s emissions are unaffected by events in neighboring regions (i.e., assume there are no transboundary pollution emissions between neighbors). By ignoring the spatial aspects within the data several past estimates of the EKC could have generated biased or inconsistent regression results. By ignoring the temporal aspect within the data several past estimates of the EKC could have generated spurious regression results or misspecified t and F statistics. To address this potential misspecification we estimate the relationship between state-level carbon dioxide emissions and income (GDP) accounting for both the spatiotemporal components within the data. Specifically, we estimate a dynamic spatiotemporal panel model using a newly proposed robust, spatial fixed effects model. This new estimation scheme is appropriate for panels with large N and T. Consistent with the EKC hypothesis we find the inverted-U shaped relationship between CO2 emissions and income. Further, we find adequate evidence that carbon dioxide emissions and state-level GDP are temporally and spatially dependent. These findings offer policy implications for both interstate energy trade and pollution emission regulations. These implications are particularly important for the formulation of national policies related to the 2009 Copenhagen Treaty in which the U.S. has committed to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions over the next twenty years.

## Suggested Citation

• Burnett, J. Wesley & Bergstrom, John C., 2010. "U.S. State-Level Carbon Dioxide Emissions: A Spatial-Temporal Econometric Approach of the Environmental Kuznets Curve," Faculty Series 96031, University of Georgia, Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics.
• Handle: RePEc:ags:ugeofs:96031
as

File URL: http://purl.umn.edu/96031

## References listed on IDEAS

as
1. María Teresa Ramírez & Ana María Loboguerrero, 2002. "Spatial Dependence and Economic Growth: Evidence From a Panel of Countries," BORRADORES DE ECONOMIA 003522, BANCO DE LA REPÚBLICA.
Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

## Citations

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Cited by:

1. Marbuah, George & Gren, Ing-Marie, 2015. "Carbon emission and social capital in Sweden," Working Paper Series 2015:5, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Department Economics.
2. Hermann Pythagore Pierre Donfouet & P. Wilner Jeanty & Eric Malin, 2013. "A Spatial Dynamic Panel Analysis of the Environmental Kuznets Curve in European Countries," Economics Working Paper Archive (University of Rennes 1 & University of Caen) 201318, Center for Research in Economics and Management (CREM), University of Rennes 1, University of Caen and CNRS.
3. Paul Evans & Ji Uk Kim, 2016. "Convergence analysis as spatial dynamic panel regression and distribution dynamics of $$\hbox {CO}_{2}$$ CO 2 emissions in Asian countries," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 50(3), pages 729-751, May.

### Keywords

Environmental Kuznets Curve; Carbon Dioxide; Spatial Econometrics; Panel Data Econometrics; Time Series Analysis; Environmental Economics; Pollution Economics; Environmental Economics and Policy; Q50; Q53; Q43; C01; C33;

### JEL classification:

• Q50 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - General
• Q53 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Air Pollution; Water Pollution; Noise; Hazardous Waste; Solid Waste; Recycling
• Q43 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Energy - - - Energy and the Macroeconomy
• C01 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - General - - - Econometrics
• C33 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Multiple or Simultaneous Equation Models; Multiple Variables - - - Models with Panel Data; Spatio-temporal Models

### NEP fields

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