Confronting the Environmental Kuznets Curve

Susmita Dasgupta; Benoit Laplante; Hua Wang; David Wheeler

doi:10.1257/0895330027157

journal article Feb 01, 2002

Confronting the Environmental Kuznets Curve

Susmita Dasgupta Benoit Laplante Hua Wang

David Wheeler

Journal of Economic Perspectives Vol. 16 No. 1 pp. 147-168 · American Economic Association

View at Publisher Save 10.1257/0895330027157

Abstract

The environmental Kuznets curve posits an inverted-U relationship between pollution and economic development. Pessimistic critics of empirically estimated curves have argued that their declining portions are illusory, either because they are cross-sectional snapshots that mask a long-run “race to the bottom” in environmental standards, or because industrial societies will continually produce new pollutants as the old ones are controlled. However, recent evidence has fostered an optimistic view by suggesting that the curve is actually flattening and shifting to the left. The driving forces appear to be economic liberalization, clean technology diffusion, and new approaches to pollution regulation in developing countries.

Topics

No keywords indexed for this article. Browse by subject →

References

50

[1]

10.1007/bf02929512

[2]

10.2307/136350

[3]

10.1177/107049659300200107

[4]

Clifford M. Far Eastern Economic Review (1990)

[5]

The Problem of Social Cost

R. H. Coase

The Journal of Law and Economics 10.1086/466560

[6]

10.2307/2644989

[7]

2001. "Capital Market Responses to Environmental Performance in Developing Countries." Journal of Environmental Economics and Management. Forthcoming.

[8]

2001. "Accounting for Toxicity Risks in Pollution Control: Does It Matter?" Journal of Environmental Management. Forthcoming.

[9]

10.1080/13600810125568

[10]

10.1017/s1355770x97000260

[11]

10.1016/s0921-8009(97)00178-x

[12]

Dean J. M. Trade, Global Policy and the Environment. P. Fredriksson, ed. Washington, D.C.: World Bank (1999)

[13]

10.1016/s0161-8938(96)00092-0

[14]

10.1287/mnsc.46.8.1059.12030

[15]

10.1023/a:1011378507540

[16]

Pollution as News: Media and Stock Market Reactions to the Toxics Release Inventory Data

James T. Hamilton

Journal of Environmental Economics and Management 10.1006/jeem.1995.1007

[17]

10.1016/s0305-750x(96)00076-9

[18]

10.1006/jeem.1999.1090

[19]

Jaffe A. Journal of Economic Literature. (1995)

[20]

10.1007/bf02441762

[21]

10.2307/2235455

[22]

10.1016/0047-2727(94)01459-2

[23]

10.1111/j.1477-9552.1993.tb00248.x

[24]

The Impact of Environmental Management on Firm Performance

Robert D. Klassen, Curtis P. McLaughlin

Management Science 10.1287/mnsc.42.8.1199

[25]

Information As Regulation: The Effect of Community Right to Know Laws on Toxic Emissions

Shameek Konar, Mark A. Cohen

Journal of Environmental Economics and Management 10.1006/jeem.1996.0955

[26]

10.2307/1060574

[27]

10.1016/s0921-8009(97)00057-8

[28]

10.1016/s0304-3878(96)00439-7

[29]

10.1006/jeem.1994.1032

[30]

Corruption, Pollution, and the Kuznets Environment Curve

Ramón López and, Siddhartha Mitra

Journal of Environmental Economics and Management 10.1006/jeem.1999.1107

[31]

Lucas R. American Economic Review Papers and Proceedings (1992)

[32]

In Search of Pollution Havens? Dirty Industry in the World Economy, 1960 to 1995

Muthukumara Mani, David Wheeler

The Journal of Environment & Development 10.1177/107049659800700302

[33]

Mani M. Journal of Development Economics. (2000)

[34]

Martin P. International Trade and the Environment. Patrick Low, ed. Washington, D.C.: World Bank (1992)

[35]

10.1017/s1355770x9700020x

[36]

Mody A. Journal of International Economics. (1992)

[37]

10.2307/1060617

[38]

10.1017/s1355770x97000259

[39]

10.1086/262061

[40]

10.1006/jeem.1999.1085

[41]

Samet J. Cities (2000)

[42]

10.1006/jeem.1994.1031

[43]

10.1006/jeem.1995.1038

[44]

10.1017/s1355770x98000102

[45]

Stotz E. Participacao Popular, Educacao e Saude, Rio de Janeiro (1991)

[46]

10.1111/j.1467-6435.1990.tb00207.x

[47]

10.1111/1467-6435.00002

[48]

10.1017/s1355770x99000340

[49]

10.1177/10704965-0101003-02

[50]

10.1080/00039896.1994.9937470

Cited By

1,197

Addressing Multitasking Problems through Promotion Incentives: An Empirical Study of Local Governments in China

Xing Chen, Hanchen Jiang · 2024

Public Performance & Management...

Energy productivity, financial stability, and environmental degradation in an Eastern European country: Evidence from novel Fourier approaches

Dervis Kirikkaleli, Kwaku Addai · 2023

Heliyon

Exploring the role of green innovation and investment in energy for environmental quality: An empirical appraisal from provincial data of China

Jiajia Guo, Yong Zhou · 2021

Journal of Environmental Management

Pathway to environmental sustainability: Nexus between economic growth, energy consumption, CO2 emission, oil rent and total natural resources rent in Saudi Arabia

Mary Oluwatoyin Agboola, Festus Victor Bekun · 2021

Resources Policy

Technological innovation and environmental quality nexus in India: Does inward remittance matter?

Muhammed Ashiq Villanthenkodath, Mantu Kumar Mahalik · 2020

Journal of Public Affairs

How effective is government spending on environmental protection in a developing country?

Saeed Moshiri, Arian Daneshmand · 2020

International Journal of Operations...

Environmental dimension of innovation: time series evidence from Turkey

Caner Demir, Raif Cergibozan · 2019

Environment, Development and Sustai...

Economic growth and energy consumption: The Energy-Environmental Kuznets Curve for Latin America and the Caribbean

María del P. Pablo-Romero, Josué De Jesús · 2016

Renewable and Sustainable Energy Re...

Regional model of EKC for air pollution: Evidence from the Republic of Korea

Soonae Park, Youngmi Lee · 2011

Energy Policy

Metrics

1,197

Citations

50

References

Details

Published: Feb 01, 2002
Vol/Issue: 16(1)
Pages: 147-168

Authors

S

Susmita Dasgupta

Development Research Group, World Bank, Washington, D.C.

B

Benoit Laplante

Development Research Group, World Bank, Washington, D.C.

H

Hua Wang

Development Research Group, World Bank, Washington, D.C.

D

David Wheeler

Development Research Group, World Bank, Washington, D.C.

Cite This Article

Susmita Dasgupta, Benoit Laplante, Hua Wang, et al. (2002). Confronting the Environmental Kuznets Curve. Journal of Economic Perspectives, 16(1), 147-168. https://doi.org/10.1257/0895330027157

Confronting the Environmental Kuznets Curve

You May Also Like