Panoeconomicus, cilt.68, sa.4, ss.555-576, 2021 (SSCI)
This study investigates the existence and shape of an environmental
Kuznets curve (EKC) across 16 developed countries and 58 developing countries
during the period 1995-2010. The basic model of the EKC is a polynomial
equation of real GDP per capita. The EKC model estimated for CO2 emission
per capita was extended by using control variables, such as trade, urban population,
fossil fuel consumption, and service sector. Based on the nonparametric
test of poolability of Badi H. Baltagi, Javier Hidalgo, and Qi Li (1996), the relationship
was found to have structural stability. A nonparametric pooled regression
model was constructed, which allowed functional form flexibility and considered
the endogeneity problem often emphasized in the EKC literature. The estimation
results show the nonexistence of an EKC for both groups. The study also
indicates the existence of nonlinearity and heterogeneity in the relationships between
CO2 emission and the control variables across both groups.