Nexus between trade and environmental quality in sub-saharan Africa: Evidence from panel GMM

Environmental sustainability is a burning fact worldwide, especially in developing nations. Equitable economic development, environmental protection, energy efficiency and security have been placed at the apex of economic discussant and policy formulation. This paper establishes the relationship bet...

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Main Authors: Anselme Andriamahery, Jules Harris Danarson, Md Qamruzzaman
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2022-09-01
Series:Frontiers in Environmental Science
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fenvs.2022.986429/full
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author Anselme Andriamahery
Jules Harris Danarson
Md Qamruzzaman
author_facet Anselme Andriamahery
Jules Harris Danarson
Md Qamruzzaman
author_sort Anselme Andriamahery
collection DOAJ
description Environmental sustainability is a burning fact worldwide, especially in developing nations. Equitable economic development, environmental protection, energy efficiency and security have been placed at the apex of economic discussant and policy formulation. This paper establishes the relationship between trade and environmental quality in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Following the Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) theory, we investigate the existence of an inverted U-shape correlation between income per capita growth and nitrous oxide (N2O), agricultural methane (ACH4), and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions to ascertain the presence of EKC. We also analyze how trade variables, income per capita growth, energy intensity, foreign direct investment, human capital, and CO2 emissions are related. The results show that trade significantly increases N2O, ACH4, and CO2 emissions for the overall sample of SSA and its income groups [Upper-Middle-Income Countries (UMIC), Lower-Middle-Income Countries (LMIC), and Low-Income Countries (LIC)] using a panel GMM. This paper concludes that reducing emissions is feasible in the future as shown by the existence of the EKC, and trade has a consistently negative impact on the environment in SSA countries, regardless of wealth level. On the policy note, the study suggested that domestic trade liberalization and foreign ownership in the economy play a detrimental role, and thus industrialization has to ensure energy efficiency and energy security.
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spelling doaj.art-032003d028284cd89e918bed9683febe2022-12-22T04:24:48ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Environmental Science2296-665X2022-09-011010.3389/fenvs.2022.986429986429Nexus between trade and environmental quality in sub-saharan Africa: Evidence from panel GMMAnselme Andriamahery0Jules Harris Danarson1Md Qamruzzaman2School of Economics and Management, Hubei Polytechnic University, Huangshi, Hubei, ChinaSchool of International Education, Guangxi University of Finance and Economics, Nanning, Guangxi, ChinaSchool of Business and Economics, United International University, Dhaka, BangladeshEnvironmental sustainability is a burning fact worldwide, especially in developing nations. Equitable economic development, environmental protection, energy efficiency and security have been placed at the apex of economic discussant and policy formulation. This paper establishes the relationship between trade and environmental quality in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Following the Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) theory, we investigate the existence of an inverted U-shape correlation between income per capita growth and nitrous oxide (N2O), agricultural methane (ACH4), and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions to ascertain the presence of EKC. We also analyze how trade variables, income per capita growth, energy intensity, foreign direct investment, human capital, and CO2 emissions are related. The results show that trade significantly increases N2O, ACH4, and CO2 emissions for the overall sample of SSA and its income groups [Upper-Middle-Income Countries (UMIC), Lower-Middle-Income Countries (LMIC), and Low-Income Countries (LIC)] using a panel GMM. This paper concludes that reducing emissions is feasible in the future as shown by the existence of the EKC, and trade has a consistently negative impact on the environment in SSA countries, regardless of wealth level. On the policy note, the study suggested that domestic trade liberalization and foreign ownership in the economy play a detrimental role, and thus industrialization has to ensure energy efficiency and energy security.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fenvs.2022.986429/fullenvironmental qualitytradeenergy intensityforeign direct investmentenvironmental kuznets curve
spellingShingle Anselme Andriamahery
Jules Harris Danarson
Md Qamruzzaman
Nexus between trade and environmental quality in sub-saharan Africa: Evidence from panel GMM
Frontiers in Environmental Science
environmental quality
trade
energy intensity
foreign direct investment
environmental kuznets curve
title Nexus between trade and environmental quality in sub-saharan Africa: Evidence from panel GMM
title_full Nexus between trade and environmental quality in sub-saharan Africa: Evidence from panel GMM
title_fullStr Nexus between trade and environmental quality in sub-saharan Africa: Evidence from panel GMM
title_full_unstemmed Nexus between trade and environmental quality in sub-saharan Africa: Evidence from panel GMM
title_short Nexus between trade and environmental quality in sub-saharan Africa: Evidence from panel GMM
title_sort nexus between trade and environmental quality in sub saharan africa evidence from panel gmm
topic environmental quality
trade
energy intensity
foreign direct investment
environmental kuznets curve
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fenvs.2022.986429/full
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AT julesharrisdanarson nexusbetweentradeandenvironmentalqualityinsubsaharanafricaevidencefrompanelgmm
AT mdqamruzzaman nexusbetweentradeandenvironmentalqualityinsubsaharanafricaevidencefrompanelgmm