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Journals / Adam Akademi Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi / 2026 / Cilt: 16 Sayı: 1

The Relationship of Economic Complexity and Environment: Empirical Analysis of Emerging Market Economies

Ekonomik Karmaşıklık ve Çevre İlişkisi: Yükselen Piyasa Ekonomileri Üzerine Ampirik Analiz

Asim Kar(Pamukkale Üniversitesi)0000-0001-5763-1434
Osman Varol(PAMUKKALE ÜNİVERSİTESİ)0000-0002-6572-9383
Şevket Pazarcı(NİŞANTAŞI ÜNİVERSİTESİ)0000-0002-3675-909X
Pages
51–74
Publication Date
2026-05-14
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AI Summary & Key Takeaways

AI Insight
⚡ TL;DR(Too Long; Didn't Read)

The results imply that emerging market economies have a more sophisticated export structure, in other words increasing of economic complexity, and the widespread adoption of renewable energy consumption play an important role in reducing environmental pollution.

📌 3 Key Takeaways

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Objective & Hypothesis:The relationship between economic growth and environmental pollution is theoretically based on the Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) hypothesis.
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Key Findings & Data:The main purpose of this study is to examine the effects of economic complexity and renewable energy consumption on carbon (CO2) emissions for 19 emerging market economies with annual data during the 1995-2018 period, using panel data econometrics within the scope of the EKC hypothesis.
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Conclusion & Impact:The results imply that emerging market economies have a more sophisticated export structure, in other words increasing of economic complexity, and the widespread adoption of renewable energy consumption play an important role in reducing environmental pollution.
🔬Design:Araştırma Makalesi
📍Scope:2018 Verileri
⚙️Variables:ÇKE hipotezi · karbon emisyonu · yenilenebilir enerji tüketimi

Abstract

The relationship between economic growth and environmental pollution is theoretically based on the Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) hypothesis. The main purpose of this study is to examine the effects of economic complexity and renewable energy consumption on carbon (CO2) emissions for 19 emerging market economies with annual data during the 1995-2018 period, using panel data econometrics within the scope of the EKC hypothesis. In this respect, the study differs from the literature. In the empirical research, considering the developments in the panel data literature, the second-generation panel cointegration test introduced by Westerlund (2008) and the second-generation DOLSMG panel cointegration estimator proposed by Pedroni (2001) were used. In the empirical analysis using CO2 emission as an environmental pollution indicator, a cointegration relationship was found. The DOLSMG panel cointegration estimator shows that the inverted U-shaped EKC hypothesis is valid when considering CO2 emissions as an environmental pollution indicator for emerging market economies. In addition, findings were obtained from the analysis that increases in economic complexity and renewable energy consumption reduce CO2 emissions. The results imply that emerging market economies have a more sophisticated export structure, in other words increasing of economic complexity, and the widespread adoption of renewable energy consumption play an important role in reducing environmental pollution.

Özet

Ekonomik büyüme ile çevre kirliliği arasındaki ilişki teorik olarak Çevresel Kuznets Eğrisi (ÇKE) hipotezine dayandırılmaktadır. Bu çalışmanın temel amacı, 1995-2018 dönemi boyunca yıllık verilerle 19 yükselen piyasa ekonomisi için ekonomik karmaşıklığın ve yenilebilir enerji tüketiminin karbon (CO2) emisyonu üzerindeki etkilerini ÇKE hipotezi kapsamında panel veri ekonometrisiyle incelemektir. Çalışma bu yönüyle literatürden farklılaşmaktadır. Ampirik araştırmada, panel veri literatüründeki gelişmeler dikkate alınarak Westerlund (2008) tarafından ortaya konulan ikinci nesil panel eşbütünleşme testi ile Pedroni (2001) tarafından ileri sürülen ikinci nesil DOLSMG panel eşbütünleşme tahmincisinden yararlanılmıştır. Çevre kirliliği göstergesi olarak CO2 emisyonunun kullanıldığı ampirik analizde, eşbütünleşme ilişkisi bulunmuştur. DOLSMG panel eşbütünleşme tahmincisi, yükselen piyasa ekonomileri için bir çevre kirliliği göstergesi olarak CO2 emisyonu dikkate alındığında, ters U şeklindeki ÇKE hipotezinin geçerli olduğunu göstermektedir. Ayrıca analizden, ekonomik karmaşıklıktaki ve yenilenebilir enerji tüketimindeki artışların CO2 emisyonunu azalttığı yönünde bulgular elde edilmiştir. Sonuç olarak, yükselen piyasa ekonomilerinin daha sofistike bir ihracat yapısına sahip olması, diğer bir deyişle ekonomik karmaşıklığın artması ve yenilenebilir enerji tüketiminin yaygınlaşması çevre kirliliğini azaltmada önemli bir rol oynamaktadır.

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Cite This Article

Kar, A., Varol, O., Pazarcı, Ş. (2026). The Relationship of Economic Complexity and Environment: Empirical Analysis of Emerging Market Economies. Adam Akademi Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi, Cilt: 16 Sayı: 1, 51–74. https://doi.org/10.31679/adamakademi.1555167

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