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Impact of urbanization, economic growth, and population size on residential carbon emissions in the SAARC countries

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Abstract

This study attempts to analyse the influence of urbanization, economic growth, and population size on residential carbon emissions in the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) member nations for the period 1994 to 2013. To do so, we employ an augmented STIRPAT model in an ecological analytic framework with a fixed effect regression model that incorporates Driscoll and Kraay standard errors. The results show that population size and per capita GDP are leading drivers of high carbon emissions in the SAARC countries. The empirical results show that a U-shaped relationship exists between urbanization and residential carbon emissions: residential carbon emissions initially decrease with an increase in urbanization, reach a turning point at 25.33% and then increase with urbanization. Thus, our findings suggest a need for stronger national policies to control the impact of urbanization and population growth on residential carbon emissions in the SAARC member countries.

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Fig. 1

Source: Based on data provided by the International Energy Agency (2015) for the period 1994–2013

Fig. 2

Source: Based on the WDI, published by World Bank (2016)

Fig. 3

Source: Based on the WDI, published by the World Bank (2016)

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Public Administration, Xi’an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi’an, China

    Muhammad Khalid Anser

  2. Finance Department, College of Business, King Abdulaziz University, P.O. BOX. 344, Rabigh, 21911, Saudi Arabia

    Majed Alharthi

  3. Department of Economics, Government College University, Lahore, Pakistan

    Babar Aziz

  4. Department of Economics, The University of Central Punjab, Avenue 1، Khayaban-e-Jinnah, Pir Mansur Road، Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan

    Sarah Wasim

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  1. Muhammad Khalid Anser
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  2. Majed Alharthi
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  4. Sarah Wasim
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Correspondence to Muhammad Khalid Anser.

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This work is performed to strengthen the academic collaboration among scholars from China, Pakistan, and Saudi Arabia. The authors have not received any funding to perform this research work and there is no conflict of interest to disclose.

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Anser, M.K., Alharthi, M., Aziz, B. et al. Impact of urbanization, economic growth, and population size on residential carbon emissions in the SAARC countries. Clean Techn Environ Policy 22, 923–936 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10098-020-01833-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10098-020-01833-y

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