The convergence in ecological footprint intensity across ECOWAS countries: evidence from a novel approach

Veli Yilanci, Iftikhar Yasin and Neslihan Ursavaş ()
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Veli Yilanci: Çanakkale 18 Mart University
Iftikhar Yasin: National Defence University
Neslihan Ursavaş: Zonguldak Bülent Ecevit University

Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, 2025, vol. 27, issue 10, No 93, 25655-25677

Abstract: Abstract Ecological footprint intensity (EFI) reflects the amount of ecological footprint utilized to generate one dollar of GDP per capita. Analyzing EFI convergence among countries unveils the efficiency of ecological footprint usage while considering GDP per capita differences. This study investigates the convergence process of EFI across 12 Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) countries from 1961 to 2018. Unlike previous studies focusing on convergence across the entire period, this research employs a novel approach using the discrete wavelet transform (DWT) to decompose the EFI series into different frequency scales (short, medium, and long-run). This methodology enables us to assess convergence patterns across various time frames, providing a more comprehensive understanding of the convergence process. We then apply the Fourier Augmented Dickey-Fuller unit root test to examine convergence across each frequency. Our findings reveal that while short-term convergence is evident for all 12 countries, medium and long-term convergence patterns vary. These results highlight the importance of considering time periods when developing environmental policies.

Keywords: Environmental degradation; Convergence hypothesis; Discrete wavelet transform; ECOWAS; EFI; GDP (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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DOI: 10.1007/s10668-024-05735-7

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