We tested the role of urbanization in the conventional Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) of Turkey's developing economy and rapid urbanization. The effects of an increase in carbon dioxide emissions ...were due to the usage of fuel oil and other traditional energy consumption patterns related to urban development. Based on our findings, we suggest that the EKC of Turkey is not an inverted U-shape. Thus, adapting of alternative and clean energy systems is necessary and unavoidable in Turkey, and Turkish authorities should consider renewable and alternative uses of energy to sustain a stable EKC.
This research presents the increase of the Trichoderma harzianum production process in a biotechnology company. The NOBA (Near-Orthogonal Balanced arrays) method was used to fractionate a mixed-level ...factorial design to minimize costs and experimentation times. Our objective is to determine the significant factors to maximize the production process of this fungus. The proposed 2sup.13sup.24sup.2 mixed-level design involved five factors, including aeration, humidity, temperature, potential hydrogen (pH), and substrate; the response variable was spore production. The results of the statistical analysis showed that the type of substrate, the air supply, and the interaction of these two factors were significant. The maximization of spore production was achieved by using the breadfruit seed substrate and aeration, while it was shown that variations in pH, humidity, and temperature have no significant impact on the production levels of the fungus.
Fossil energy is the foundation of national economic development due to its ability to affect security and environmental and socioeconomic stability. As the fossil energy supply has become ...increasingly severe, exploring the decoupling relationship between fossil energy consumption and economic growth in each province is critical, and the results will be beneficial for clarifying the current resource security pattern. This paper uses the environmentally extended multiregional input-output model, combined with China's energy consumption data in 2002, 2007 and 2012, to calculate energy consumption based on various energy sources from the production and consumption sides in China's 30 provinces. Additionally, the Tapio decoupling model is used to measure the decoupling situation between the energy consumption and economic growth of each province from both sides. (1) From 2002-2012, the total energy consumption of the production and consumption sides in China showed an annually increasing tendency, and the structural contradiction of energy security remained acute. (2) The decoupling relationship between total energy and economic growth in developed regions is often overestimated, while most of the central and western regions are relatively backward in this state. (3) In 2007–2012, the decoupling states of coal and oil on both sides are significantly better than those in 2002–2007. With the contribution of coal and oil consumption to economic growth continuing to decline, the decoupling states between natural gas consumption and economic growth in most provinces are strongly negative, and economic growth in these regions increasingly depends on natural gas. Our study can help to strengthen the understanding of the relationship between energy consumption and economic growth both on the production side and the consumption side from the perspective of the decoupling states of different energy sources. This paper recommends that China strengthen its sustainable energy output, effectively transform its energy-consuming structure, and promote economic development policies according to local conditions.
•The decoupling relationship between different types of energy and economic growth were analyzed.•The calculation of the consumption-side energy consumption provides a beneficial supplement for traditional methods.•The latest MRIO model in China is used for calculation.•Regional differences are reflected in calculations of the decoupling state.•Some suggestions are introduced to improve the decoupling state of China.
Using data from China, we examine whether and how the incentive to boost GDP growth at the government level affects earnings management at the firm level. We find that firms in provinces with GDP ...growth lower than the national level or the average of the adjacent provinces are more likely to engage in earnings management than firms in other provinces. Specifically, they are more likely to inflate revenues, overproduce, and delay asset impairment losses. The aggregate earnings management induced by GDP growth incentives accounts for about 0.5% of GDP. The results are stronger for local state-owned enterprises, in provinces with a lower level of marketization, for firms in provinces with younger governors, and in the years immediately prior to the turnover of provincial officials. Overall, this paper provides systematic evidence on how firms engage in earnings management to boost the GDP growth in their provinces.
Previous studies evaluating the welfare cost of air pollution have not paid much attention to its potential effect on mental health and subjective well-being (SWB). This paper attempts to fill the ...gap by investigating the impact of air pollution on several key dimensions, including mental health status, depressive symptoms, moment-to-moment happiness, and evaluative happiness. We match a nationwide longitudinal survey in China with local air quality and rich weather conditions according to the exact time and place of survey. By making use of variations in exposure to air pollution for the same individuals over time, we show that air pollution reduces hedonic happiness and increases the rate of depressive symptoms, while life satisfaction has little to do with the immediate air quality. Our results shed light on air pollution as an important contributor to the Easterlin paradox that economic growth may not bring more happiness.
This research shows that natural disasters may hurt energy consumption by using data on 123 countries over the period 1990–2015 and classifying them according to their economic development level and ...region based on World Development Indicators. We employ a two-step system-GMM method to examine the effect of natural disasters on energy consumption, presenting findings that support our hypotheses in the models and show a strong negative effect for low-income countries or those in the Africa region. After considering an alternative proxy for natural disaster, we implement quantile regression methods. Their results find that natural disasters exhibit a negative and significant impact on oil, renewable, and nuclear energy consumptions. The quantile regression models used in the robustness check present that the effects are stronger for low-level energy consumption economies.
•Natural disasters exhibit a negative impact on oil, renewable, and nuclear consumptions.•This negative impact clearly appears in low-income countries or in Africa region.•Different natural disasters and energy sources affect the disaster-energy consumption nexus.•Provide policy implications for governments, policy-makers, and researchers.
We report results from a randomized evaluation of a microcredit program introduced in rural areas of Morocco in 2006. Thirteen percent of the households in treatment villages took a loan, and none in ...control villages did. Among households identified as more likely to borrow, microcredit access led to a significant rise in investment in assets used for self-employment activities, and an increase in profit, but also to a reduction in income from casual labor. Overall there was no gain in income or consumption. We find suggestive evidence that these results are mainly driven by effects on borrowers, rather than by externalities.
The implementation of China's carbon emission trading policy has targeted achieving emission reduction and environmental protection as well as promoting economic development and technological ...innovation. The analysis is made through applying the Difference-in-Differences model and using the Ordinary Least Squares method and the Least Square Dummy Variable method in the paper. Results show that the pilot carbon emission trading policy leads to the expansion of employment scales and the reduction of carbon emissions after controlling for the environmental regulation, population size, economic level, and other important variables. Thus, it implies that an employment double dividend exists. For the Porter effect, it is found in the pilot carbon emission trading policy only without adding any control variable. The effect is further verified based on a robustness checks and a placebo test. Furthermore, from the perspective of market-oriented environmental regulation policy, this study explains that the carbon emission trading system launched in 2017 needs to be improved to spread both the employment double dividend and the Porter effect to the whole nation. China also needs to form a complete set of strict ecological environment protection policies and administrative measures to achieve sustainable development of the economy.
•The Difference-in-Differences model and LSDV method were applied for the analysis.•An employment double dividend effect is found in China's carbon trading policy.•Porter effect is found only without adding any control variable.•Improving China's national carbon emissions trading system is needed.
•Gender plot managers and technologies adoption modeled using multivariate probit model.•Female plot managers are less likely to adopt minimum tillage and animal manure.•There is no gender ...differences in the adoption of other sustainable intensification practices.•Social capital and plot & household characteristics influenced technology adoption.
This paper uses sex-disaggregated survey data at the plot level to test whether there are systematic gender differences in the adoption of multiple sustainable intensification practices (SIPs) in Kenya. We analyze plot level adoption decisions of SIPs by male, female or joint plot managers within the household, controlling for household characteristics, asset wealth and land quality factors that condition investments in intensification options. Using a multivariate probit model, we find gender differences in the adoption pattern for some SIPs. Compared to male plot mangers, female managers are less likely to adopt minimum tillage and animal manure in crop production, indicating the existence of certain socioeconomic inequalities and barriers for female farmers. However, we find no gender differences in the adoption of soil and water conservation measures, improved seed varieties, chemical fertilizers, maize-legume intercropping, and maize-legume rotations.
Understanding the dynamic behaviour of Sub-Saharan African households as they move along the energy ladder is essential for the energy transition in developing countries. This study applies Fixed and ...Random effect panel data models to analyse the drivers of rural and urban households' energy transition in Nigeria from 2010 to 2018. The estimation results from the panel models with robust standard errors show that rural households tend to increase their expenses on fuel sources that potentially substitute the energy source whose prices have increased. However, there is no significant relationship between the price and expenditure on different fuels in urban households. Irrespective of spatiality, we find that aside from income – education, household size, and internet access are essential drivers of household fuel choices. More importantly, we find evidence of reverse energy transition. We argue that this reverse energy transition limits the shift to cleaner fuels and increases the economic vulnerabilities of rural households. Our analysis also reveals that Nigerians’ preference for fuels is shifting to be price inelastic. We make a strong case for policies and interventions that raise household income, empower women, reduce the cost of living, and improve clean and affordable energy access to encourage energy transition.
•Analyse the drivers of rural and urban households' energy transition in Nigeria.•Irrespective of spatiality, income, education, family size are essential drivers.•We found evidence of reverse energy transition in Nigerian households.•Nigerians' preference for fuels is shifting to be price inelastic.•We make a strong case for policies and interventions for energy transition.
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