Energy Consumption, Environmental Degradation and Growth: A Panel Data Analysis
Energy is essential as an input to develop economic, although it could bring negative effect on environmental quality. The relationship between energy consumption, environmental degradation and economic growth have been widely studied, but there is no consistency in the relationship. The objectives of this study are to determine the short-run relationship (one-way or bidirectional) and to reveal the long-run relationship for each pair of variables. The second-generation panel unit root and cointegration test were used in the analysis. Breusch-Pagan LM test suggests that there is a cross-sectional dependency for all the models and integrated of order one, I (1). Cointegration test indicates that economic growth has long-relationship with carbon dioxide and energy consumption in high-income countries. In low-income countries, carbon dioxide has a long-run relationship with energy consumption and economic growth. In the short run, we have evidence of a bidirectional relationship between energy consumption and economic growth in high-income countries but a one-way relationship in low-income countries. Overall, it can be concluded that the three variables are related. This study develops a deeper awareness and understanding of the relationship between the variables in distinct levels of economies. Keywords: energy consumption; CO2, economic growth