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- A Two-Stage DEA Model to Evaluate the Technical Eco-Efficiency Indicator in the EU CountriesPublication . Moutinho, Victor; Madaleno, MaraThis paper evaluates the evolution of eco-efficiency for the 27 European Union (EU) countries over the period 2008–2018, provided the traditional high concerns of the EU concerning the economic growth-environmental performance relationship. The EU has triggered several initiatives and regulations regarding environmental protection over the years, but as well the Sustainable Development Goals demand it. Under this setting, we conduct a two-stage analysis, which computes eco-efficiency scores in the first stage for each of the pairs EU 27-year, through the nonparametric method data envelopment analysis (DEA), considering the ratio GDP per capita and greenhouse gas emissions (GHG). In the second stage, scores are used as a dependent variable in the proposed fractional regression model (FRM), whose determinants considered were eight pollutants (three greenhouse gases and five atmospheric pollutants). CO2/area and N2O/area effects are negative and significant, improving the eco-efficiency of the EU 27 countries. When the efficient European countries are excluded from the estimations, the results evidence that CO2/area and CH4/area decrease the DEA score. The country with the lowest GHG emissions and pollutant gases was Ireland, being the country within the considered period that mostly reduced emissions, particularly SOx and PM10, increasing its score.
- Analysis of the New Kuznets Relationship: Considering Emissions of Carbon, Methanol, and Nitrous Oxide Greenhouse Gases - Evidence from EU CountriesPublication . Madaleno, Mara; Moutinho, VictorDecreased greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) are urgently needed in view of global health threat represented by climate change. The goal of this paper is to test the validity of the Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) hypothesis, considering less common measures of environmental burden. For that, four different estimations are done, one considering total GHG emissions, and three more taking into account, individually, the three main GHG gases—carbon dioxide (CO2), nitrous oxide (N2O), and methane gas (CH4)—considering the oldest and most recent economies adhering to the EU27 (the EU 15 (Old Europe) and the EU 12 (New Europe)) separately. Using panel dynamic fixed effects (DFE), dynamic ordinary least squares (DOLS), and fully modified ordinary least squares (FMOLS) techniques, we validate the existence of a U-shaped relationship for all emission proxies considered, and groups of countries in the short-run. Some evidence of this effect also exists in the long-run. However, we were only able to validate the EKC hypothesis for the short-run in EU 12 under DOLS and the short and long-run using FMOLS. Confirmed is the fact that results are sensitive to models and measures adopted. Externalization of problems globally takes a longer period for national policies to correct, turning global measures harder and local environmental proxies more suitable to deeply explore the EKC hypothesis.
- Does economic sectorial diversification affect the relationship between carbon emissions, economic growth, energy consumption, coal and gas consumption? Evidence from OPEC countries using panel cointegration analysisPublication . Moutinho, Victor; Madaleno, M.This work aims to investigate a relationship between economic and environmental drivers under the economic diversification condition including seven economic activity sectors for a set of nine OPEC countries during 1974–2016. For validating the two Environmental Kuznets Curve – EKC – equations proposed, a panel data analysis was followed through the long and short-run estimations, including the Pooled Mean Group, Mean Group, and Dynamic Fixed Effect estimators. Results of the cointegration panel estimators show, for some sectors the validity of the EKC in the form of an inverted U shape, alternating with the U-shaped form. Namely, sector 2 of the extractive and manufacturing industries, including the electricity, gas, and water industries, and sector 5, including wholesale, lodging, restoration, and similar activities, validate the EKC hypothesis. However, the validity of the Kuznets curve with the panel data does not make it clear which OPEC countries are in the most favorable conditions to mitigate the polluting effects.
- Assessing Eco-Efficiency in Asian and African Countries Using Stochastic Frontier AnalysisPublication . Moutinho, Victor; Madaleno, MaraThis study aims to evaluate the economic and environmental efficiency of Asian and African economies. In the model proposed, Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is considered as the desired output and Greenhouse Gases (GHG), like carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, as the undesirable output. Capital, labor, fossil fuels, and renewable energy consumption are regarded as inputs, and the GDP/CO2 ratio is the output, by using a log-linear Translog production function and using data from 2005 until 2018, including 22 Asian and 22 African countries. Results evidence cross-countries heterogeneity among production inputs, namely labor, capital, and type of energy use and its efficiency. The models complement each other and are based on different distributional assumptions and estimation methods while providing a picture of Eco-efficiency in Asian and African economies. Labor and renewable energy share increase technical Eco-efficiency, while fixed capital decreases it under time-variant models. Technical improvements in Eco-efficiency are verified through time considering the time variable into the model estimations, replacing fossil fuels with renewable sources. An inverted U-shaped Eco-efficiency function is found concerning the share of fossil fuel consumption. Important policy implications are drawn from the results regarding the empirical results.