The Impact of Population on Co2 Emissions: Evidence from European Countries

32 Pages Posted: 18 May 2006

See all articles by Aurelia Bengochea Morancho

Aurelia Bengochea Morancho

Universitat Jaume I - Department of Economics

Inmaculada Martínez-Zarzoso

University of Goettingen (Göttingen) - School of Law, Economics, Social Sciences; Jaume I University - Department of Economics

Rafael Morales-Lage

Universitat Jaume I

Date Written: June 2006

Abstract

This paper analyses the impact of population growth on CO2 emissions in European Union countries. Traditionally, researchers have assumed a unitary elasticity of emissions with respect to population growth. In this study population is treated as a predictor in the model, instead of being included as part of the dependent variable (per capita emissions), thus relaxing the above-mentioned assumption of unitary elasticity. We also contribute to the existing literature by taking into account the presence of heterogeneity in the sample and considering a dynamic specification. The sample covers the period 1975-1999 for the current European Union members. Our results show that the impact of population growth on emissions is more than proportional for recent accession countries whereas for old EU members, the elasticity is lower than unity and non significant when the properties of the time series and the dynamics are correctly specified. The different impact of population change on CO2 emissions for the current EU members should therefore be taken into account in future discussions of climate change policies within the EU.

Keywords: CO2 Emissions, European Union, Panel Data, Population Growth

JEL Classification: Q25, Q4, Q54

Suggested Citation

Bengochea Morancho, Aurelia and Martínez-Zarzoso, Inmaculada and Morales-Lage, Rafael, The Impact of Population on Co2 Emissions: Evidence from European Countries (June 2006). FEEM Working Paper No. 98.06, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=902703 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.902703

Aurelia Bengochea Morancho (Contact Author)

Universitat Jaume I - Department of Economics ( email )

Campus del Riu Sec.
E-12071 Castellon
Spain

Inmaculada Martínez-Zarzoso

University of Goettingen (Göttingen) - School of Law, Economics, Social Sciences ( email )

Germany

Jaume I University - Department of Economics ( email )

Campus del Riu Sec.
E-12071 Castellon
Spain

Rafael Morales-Lage

Universitat Jaume I ( email )

Castellon
E-12071 Castello de la Plana, Castellón de la Plana 12071
Spain

Do you have a job opening that you would like to promote on SSRN?

Paper statistics

Downloads
321
Abstract Views
3,305
Rank
188,347
PlumX Metrics