The EKC hypothesis between CO2 emissions and economic growth

Suyi Kim

Chapter 1 in Handbook on Economic Growth and the Environment, 2026, pp 11-37 from Edward Elgar Publishing

Abstract: This study explores the concept of the Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) and reviews empirical research on the validity of the EKC hypothesis. Specifically, it examines in detail empirical studies that test the EKC hypothesis in the context of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. These studies can be broadly divided into country-specific and multi-country analyses, with panel analysis being the predominant methodology in multi-country research. While many studies have found support for the EKC hypothesis, others have found no evidence. These inconsistencies can be attributed to factors such as the economic development stage of the target countries, the research period, and policy implementation. To further investigate the validity of the EKC hypothesis, this study analyzes the validity of the EKC hypothesis for 30 Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries using pooled mean group (PMG) estimation from 1974 to 2022. Most OECD countries are included in Annex B of the Kyoto Protocol, and most have submitted their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). The study examines the period encompassing both the Kyoto Protocol compliance phase and subsequent efforts to meet NDC targets. The results confirm that, for OECD countries, the EKC hypothesis holds true for the relationship between CO2 emissions and economic growth.

Keywords: Environmental Kuznets Curve; CO2 Emissions; OECD; PMG; Kyoto Protocol; Economic Growth (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026
ISBN: 9781035322589
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