Nonlinearities and heterogeneity in environmental quality: An empirical analysis of deforestation

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Van, Phu Nguyen; Azomahou, Theophile
• 署名单位: Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS); CY Cergy Paris Universite; Universites de Strasbourg Etablissements Associes; Universite de Strasbourg
• 刊物名称: JOURNAL OF DEVELOPMENT ECONOMICS
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0304-3878
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jdeveco.2005.10.004
• 发表日期: 2007
• 页码: 291-309
• 关键词: deforestation; Economic development; Environmental Kuznets curve; Semiparametric models

摘要

We use a panel data set of 59 developing countries over the 1972-1994 period to study the deforestation process. Relying on both parametric and semiparametric models, we examine nonlinearities and heterogeneity in the deforestation process. We first study the existence of an Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) and then analyze determinants of deforestation. Our data sample provides no evidence of an EKC. We also find that political institution failures may worsen the deforestation process in developing countries. (C) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.