Sammanfattning

The purpose of this study is to empirically investigate the environmental Kuznets curve (EKC) relationship between water quality and income within the European Union, considering spatial interdependences across countries. To this end, we apply a spatial econometrics framework using panel data, at the national level, for twenty EU countries across seventeen years, 1998 to 2014. Furthermore, we account for the role of human and livestock population size, institutional quality and economic openness for water quality. Results show that a significant EKC relationship is seen with an inverted N-shaped relationship between income and water quality. Water quality is decreasing in income for low income levels, increasing in income when GDP per capita for medium income levels, and deteriorating for high income levels. Eight out of twenty countries have income levels associated with a declining water quality. Spatial spillovers between countries are significant. Higher livestock density levels are associated with lower levels of water quality, while institutional quality and openness to trade are positively associated with water quality

Nyckelord

Environmental kuznets curve; Institutional quality; Spatial error model; Spatial spillovers; Water framework directive

Publicerad i

Water Resources and Economics
2021, Volym: 35, artikelnummer: 100182

SLU författare

• Marbuah, George

  • Institutionen för ekonomi, Sveriges lantbruksuniversitet
    
  • Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI)

• Nordmark, Sandra

  • Institutionen för ekonomi, Sveriges lantbruksuniversitet
    

Globala målen

Säkerställa tillgången till och en hållbar förvaltning av vatten och sanitet för alla
Minska ojämlikheten inom och mellan länder


UKÄ forskningsämne

Ekonomisk geografi
Oceanografi, hydrologi, vattenresurser


Publikationens identifierare

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wre.2021.100182

Permanent länk till denna sida (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/112957