Testing the globalization-driven carbon emissions hypothesis: International evidence

摘要

We empirically investigate the dynamic relationship between globalization and CO_2 emissions for 87 (high, middle and low-income) countries. We utilize the cross-correlation approach to examine the well-known EKC hypothesis between globalization and environmental degradation. The results validate the inverted U-shaped EKC hypothesis for 16 (approximately 18%) from the high- and middle-income countries only, thereby highlighting that a rise in globalization will decrease carbon emissions for these countries in the future. On contrary, the results also confirm the U-shaped relationship between globalization and environmental degradation for 8% of the countries. The remaining countries do not have a U- or an inverted U-shaped relationship between globalization and CO2 emissions. Policy implications are also discussed.