Περιβαλλοντική υποβάθμιση και οικονομική ανάπτυξη. Μια εμπειρική μελέτη
Environmental degradation and economic growth. An empirical analysis
Abstract
This thesis investigates the relationship among environmental degradation (in
terms of CO2 emissions) and various macro variables such as development of GDP,
trade, urbanization, electric power consumption, investment in R&D, and a dummy
variable for Kioto protocol. Moreover our model is extended to allow different
sectors of an economy.
The first chapter presents a historic review on how Ancient Greeks thought of
environment and environmental issues. In addition, modern versions of environmental
economics as long as the Environmental Kuznet curve which is the core of
Neoclassical Environmental Economics, are presented too.
Chapter two discusses relevant scientific articles. Chapter three presents the
data and the sources used for them. It also includes a brief description.
Chapter four presents all the results of all versions of our model for the all the
countries sample, the developed and the developing ones. Results were mixed which
came as no surprise concerning the relevant articles. What was thought really notable
was the positive and statistically important effect of electric power consumption in
CO2 emissions, raising big questions on how quick is our economies turn to
renewable sources of energy. The fifth chapter concludes.