AI Summary & Key Takeaways
AI InsightThe results of the study indicate that a significant portion of the changes in the ecological footprint is explained by macroeconomic variables such as energy consumption and income; the long-run contribution of human capital accumulation and renewable energy consumption becomes more prominent, highlighting their strategic importance for environmental sustainability.
📌 3 Key Takeaways
Abstract
Improving environmental quality has become an essential goal in our society, as environmental degradation worsens and causes many problems, primarily harming the economic well-being of nations. The ecological footprint is preferred as a sustainability indicator in analyses due to its comprehensiveness and holistic approach to measuring environmental degradation. In this study, annual data for Türkiye from 1990-2023 were used to test the Vector Error Correction Model (VECM), employing indicators such as per capita income, energy use, and trade openness to explain the ecological footprint, with a specific focus on human capital and renewable energy. The results of the study indicate that a significant portion of the changes in the ecological footprint is explained by macroeconomic variables such as energy consumption and income; the long-run contribution of human capital accumulation and renewable energy consumption becomes more prominent, highlighting their strategic importance for environmental sustainability.