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A New Index of Environmental Quality

Author

Listed:
  • Elettra Agliardi

    (RCEA; University of Bologna)

  • Mehmet Pinar

    (Fondazione Eni Enrico Mattei; University of Guelph)

  • Thanasis Stengos

    (University of Guelph; RCEA)

Abstract

An optimal weighting scheme is proposed to construct a new index of environmental quality for different countries using an approach that relies on consistent tests for stochastic dominance efficiency. The test statistics and the estimators are computed using mixed integer programming methods. The variables that are considered include countries' greenhouse emissions, water pollution and forest benefits, as from the dataset of the World Bank. First, the stochastic efficient weighting for each set of variables is calculated to build three sub-indices (for greenhouse emissions, water pollution and land without forests) and then an overall risk index of environmental quality is constructed. One main result is that land without forest contributes the most (with around 70%), greenhouse emissions contribute with around 20% and water pollution contributes less (with around 10%). Finally, countries are ranked according to their index of environmental quality and their rankings are compared with those of the Kyoto Protocol.

Suggested Citation

  • Elettra Agliardi & Mehmet Pinar & Thanasis Stengos, 2011. "A New Index of Environmental Quality," Working Paper series 31_11, Rimini Centre for Economic Analysis.
    • Handle: RePEc:rim:rimwps:31_11
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Environmental Quality; Emissions; Water Pollution; Nonparametric Stochastic Dominance; Mixed Integer Programming;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C4 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Econometric and Statistical Methods: Special Topics
    • C5 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Econometric Modeling
    • C14 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Econometric and Statistical Methods and Methodology: General - - - Semiparametric and Nonparametric Methods: General
    • Q01 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - General - - - Sustainable Development
    • Q5 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics
    • Q51 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Valuation of Environmental Effects

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