SUSTAINABILITY IN E7 ECONOMIES: TESTING THE EKC HYPOTHESIS WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF ECONOMIC GROWTH AND ECOLOGICAL FOOTPRINT DYNAMICS

Okan Güleç; Selen Utlu Koçdemir; Tuğba Özyıldız

doi:10.37880/cumuiibf.1820233

TR EN

E7 EKONOMİLERİNDE SÜRDÜRÜLEBİLİRLİK: EKONOMİK BÜYÜME VE EKOLOJİK AYAK İZİ DİNAMİKLERİ KAPSAMINDA EKC HİPOTEZİNİN TESTİ

Öz

Hızla değişen ekonomik ve çevresel koşullar, sürdürülebilirlik kavramının daha fazla ön plana çıkmasına sebebiyet vermektedir. Hızlı sanayileşme, kentleşme ve teknolojik gelişmeler, ekonomik kalkınmanın sınırlarını genişletirken aynı zamanda doğal kaynaklar üzerinde ciddi baskılar oluşturmaktadır. E7 ülkelerinin (Brezilya, Çin, Hindistan, Endonezya, Meksika, Rusya ve Türkiye), hızlı büyüme ve sanayileşme süreçleriyle küresel üretim ve enerji tüketiminde ağırlıkları giderek artmaktadır. Küresel ekonomik büyümenin ve enerji tüketiminin büyük bir kısmını kullanan E7 ülkeleri, hızlı sanayileşme ve kentleşme süreçleri nedeniyle çevresel sürdürülebilirlik açısından kırılgan bir konuma gelmiştir. Bu durum, iktisadi büyüme ile çevresel bozulma arasındaki ilişkinin bu ülkeler nezdinde incelenmesini gerektirmektedir. Bu bağlamda çalışma, E7 ülkelerinde ekolojik ayak izinin (EFP) belirleyicilerini panel veri yöntemleriyle incelemektedir. Analizde kişi başına reel GSYH artışı, yenilenebilir ve yenilenemeyen enerji tüketimi, ticari açıklık, sabit sermaye oluşumu ve işgücüne katılım oranı değişkenleri kullanılmıştır. Çalışmamız, panel veri ekonometrisi yöntemlerini kullanarak, değişkenler arasındaki dinamik ilişkileri ortaya koymayı amaçlamaktadır. Elde edilen bulgular, iktisadi büyüme ile EFP arasında Çevresel Kuznets Eğrisi (EKC) hipotezini doğrulamaktadır. Yenilenemeyen enerji tüketimi çevresel baskıyı artırırken, yenilenebilir enerji azaltıcı bir etki göstermektedir. Ayrıca sabit sermaye oluşumu ve işgücüne katılım oranı EFP’yi artırmış, ticari açıklık oranı ise istatistiki olarak anlamlı bulunmamıştır. Çalışmada ekonomik büyüme ve enerji tüketimi ile birlikte işgücü piyasası dinamikleri ve sermaye oluşumu gibi değişkenlerin modele dahil edilmesi, E7 ekonomileri için sadece üretim odaklı değil, aynı zamanda yapısal dönüşüm odaklı güncel literatüre özgü bir katkı sağlanmıştır

Anahtar Kelimeler

SUSTAINABILITY IN E7 ECONOMIES: TESTING THE EKC HYPOTHESIS WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF ECONOMIC GROWTH AND ECOLOGICAL FOOTPRINT DYNAMICS

Abstract

Rapidly changing economic and environmental conditions have brought the concept of sustainability to the forefront. Rapid industrialization, urbanization and technological developments have expanded the boundaries of economic growth while simultaneously placing significant pressure on natural resources. The E7 countries (Brazil, China, India, Indonesia, Mexico, Russia and Türkiye) have been gaining an increasingly significant role in global production and energy consumption through their rapid growth and industrialization processes. As these countries account for a substantial share of global economic growth and energy use, their rapid industrialization and urbanization have made them vulnerable in terms of environmental sustainability. This situation necessitates an examination of the relationship between economic growth and environmental degradation in the sample of these countries. In this context, this study examines the determinants of the ecological footprint (EFP) in E7 countries using panel data methods. The analysis employs variables such as real GDP per capita, renewable and non-renewable energy consumption, trade openness rate, gross fixed capital formation and labor force participation rate. Our study aims to reveal the dynamic relationships between variables using panel data econometric methods. The findings confirm the Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) hypothesis between economic growth and EFP. Non-renewable energy consumption increases environmental pressure, whereas renewable energy has a mitigating effect. In addition, gross fixed capital formation and labor force participation rate have increased the EFP, while trade openness rate was found to be statistically insignificant. The inclusion of labor market dynamics and capital formation, in addition to economic growth and energy consumption, ensures a novel contribution to the current literature on E7 countries by shifting the focus from a purely production-oriented approach to one centered on structural transformation.

Keywords

References

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Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

Econometric and Statistical Methods , Economic Models and Forecasting , Panel Data Analysis

Journal Section

Research Article

Authors

Okan Güleç ^*
0009-0000-5936-4720
Türkiye

Selen Utlu Koçdemir
0000-0001-8660-1568
Türkiye

Tuğba Özyıldız
0000-0002-2101-2954
Türkiye

Publication Date

April 26, 2026

Submission Date

November 9, 2025

Acceptance Date

February 14, 2026

Published in Issue

Year 2026 Volume: 27 Number: 2

DOI

https://doi.org/10.37880/cumuiibf.1820233

IZ

https://izlik.org/JA55RW67AR

Cite

RIS / Bibtex

APA

Güleç, O., Utlu Koçdemir, S., & Özyıldız, T. (2026). SUSTAINABILITY IN E7 ECONOMIES: TESTING THE EKC HYPOTHESIS WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF ECONOMIC GROWTH AND ECOLOGICAL FOOTPRINT DYNAMICS. Cumhuriyet Üniversitesi İktisadi Ve İdari Bilimler Dergisi, 27(2), 699-726. https://doi.org/10.37880/cumuiibf.1820233