An Examination of Greenhouse Gas Convergence in OECD Countries

PurposeIn this study, we aim to test the stochastic convergence of per capita clean energy use in 30 OECD (Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development) countries for the period of 1965–2017.Design/methodology/approachThis study employed both linear and nonlinear panel unit root tests, and unlike other studies, this study allowed fractional values in addition to integer values for frequencies in the Fourier functions. Integer values of frequency indicate temporary breaks, while fractional values show permanent breaks.FindingsThe results of the linear panel unit root test indicate that clean energy use does not converge to group average for almost all OECD countries. However, the results of nonlinear panel unit root tests provide evidence that the stochastic convergence hypothesis of clean energy consumption cannot be rejected for most countries. This study does not find any evidence for stochastic convergence of clean energy use in Australia, Canada, Denmark, Ireland, Norway or Sweden. Therefore, the policies regarding clean energy are mandatory in these countries due to their effectiveness. This study also reveals that there are permanent structural breaks in the convergence process of clean energy consumption in approximately half of OECD countries.Originality/valueThis study considers temporary and permanent smooth structural shifts in addition to nonlinearity when testing the stationarity of clean energy consumption in a country i relative to the group average. This new method eliminates deficiencies of the previous panel data techniques. Thus, it provides more reliable results compared to existing literature.

This study analyzes the convergence of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by examining the stationarity of the relative per capita CO2 emissions of 18 selected countries on the Silk Road for the period 1990-2020. To examine the stationarity of relative per capita CO2 emissions for those 18 countries, we applied a large battery the newly proposed nonlinear panel unit root tests that allow for several forms of state-dependent and time-dependent nonlinearities. We also applied conventional linear panel unit root tests. The linear and nonlinear panel unit root tests account for cross-country dependencies, and the SPSM procedure is applied to these tests in order to see how many countries in the panel sample are converging to the steady state. The test results of linear and nonlinear panel unit root test reveal that the relative per-capita CO2 emissions of 10 out of 18 countries are stationary meaning that the CO2 emissions of these 10 countries converge to the steady-state level over time. Especially, size and sign nonlinearities better capture the convergence dynamics of per capita CO2 emissions towards the steady-state level for seven countries.As we have foundthat 56% of countries' per capita CO2 emissions are converging, this result has important policy implications.

This paper investigates whether there is energy intensity convergence in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries or not by using annual data from the 1980-2011 period. OECD countries are Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Chile, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Japan, North Korea, South Korea, Luxembourg, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, UK, and USA. Energy intensity is measured by the ratio of total energy consumption to total output. Energy intensity measures the energy consumption of an economy and its overall energy efficiency. We used linear and nonlinear unit root tests from the recent literature to accomplish this goal. An analysis of the test results shows that there is no convergence in Chile, Finland, Greece, Ireland, South Korea, Luxembourg, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the UK. These countries should start implementing changes to their energy policies to achieve effective energy use.

The global crisis of 2008–2009 focused attention on the role of fi scal policy at times of collapsing aggregate demand. Concerns about experiencing a reincarnation of the great depression induced the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) (highincome group) and emerging market countries to invoke extraordinary policies for extraordinary times. Countries adopted sizable fi scal stimuli, augmented by unprecedented monetary expansions supported by elastic swap lines between the Federal Reserve and the European Central Bank, and between the Fed and four emerging markets. The fl ight to quality and the shortage of dollar liquidity posed a special challenge for emerging markets, inducing them to supplement these policies with both large sales of foreign currencies at the height of the crisis and with sizable depreciations. Yet there has been a remarkable heterogeneity in the magnitudes of the fi scal stimuli, and of the exchange rate depreciation. The differential patterns of response are traced in table 1, summarizing the fi scal stimulus/GDP and the depreciation rate in 32 countries, chosen by data availability. The fi rst three columns overview the crisis related fi scal stimulus / GDP, 2009–2011, in OECD countries and emerging markets. The crisis led to a signifi cant fi scal stimulus in the United States, Japan, and Germany, the magnitude of which increased from 2009 to 2010, refl ecting various lags associated with fi scal policy. The fourth and the fi fth columns report the massive “bailout” transfers to the banking system in the United States, Germany, and the United Kingdom that attempted to stabilize the fi nancial panic. It is noteworthy that the size of

This article examines the sectoral impact of disinflationary monetary policy by calculating the sacrifice ratios for several Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and non-OECD countries. Sacrifice ratios calculated through the episode method reveal that disinflationary monetary policy has a differential impact across three sectors in both OECD and non-OECD countries. Of the three sectors, the industry and service sectors show significant output loss due to a tight monetary policy in OECD and non-OECD countries. But the agricultural sector shows a differential impact of disinflation policy: It shows a negative sacrifice ratio in OECD countries indicating that output growth is insignificantly affected by a tight monetary policy while non-OECD countries yield positive sacrifice ratios, suggesting that the output loss is significant. Further, it is observed that sacrifice ratios calculated from aggregate data are different from ratios calculated from sectoral data. JEL Classification: E52, E58, C14, O50

Acinetobacter baumannii is one of the most challenging nosocomial pathogens due to the emergence and widespread of antibiotic resistance. We aimed to provide the first analysis of global prevalence of antibiotic resistance in A. baumannii infections, by synthesizing data and knowledge through a systematic review. We searched studies reporting antibiotic resistance in A. baumannii infections using the Medline, Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane databases from January 2000 to December 2016. Studies were eligible if they investigated and reported antibiotic resistance in A. baumannii infections with inpatients or outpatients in hospital. Our investigation showed a high prevalence of resistance to the common prescribed antibiotics in A. baumannii infections in both OECD (Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development) and non-OECD countries. Strikingly, though OECD countries have substantially lower pooled prevalence of resistance compared to non-OECD countries based on the data during 2006–2016, a further investigation in a time scale disclosed a faster increase in OECD countries during the past 11 years, and currently both of them have a comparable prevalence of resistance (2011–2016). Tigecycline and colistin are still active but their resistances are expected to become common if the preventative measures are not taken. Antibiotic resistance in A. baumannii infection developed fast and is a crisis for both OECD and non-OECD countries. A “post-antibiotic era” for A. baumannii infection is expected in the next 10–20 years without immediate actions from pharmaceutical companies and governments.

Does economic level similarly matter for injury mortality in the OECD and non-OECD countries?

This study examines the relationship between agricultural greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, economic growth (EG), and financial development (FD) within the framework of the environmental Kuznets curve (EKC) hypothesis in Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries. Using data from 2000 to 2020, the panel data analysis evaluates variables including EG, FD, foreign direct investment (FDI), agricultural energy consumption (EC), population (POP), agricultural land (LAND), and environmental policy stringency (EPS). Long-run elasticity estimates obtained using bias-adjusted ordinary least squares (BA-OLS) demonstrate an inverted U-shaped relationship between EG, FD, and GHG emissions. A panel Fisher test reveals causal patterns among the variables. The findings indicate that EG and FD initially increased GHG emissions by boosting investments in the agricultural sector but emissions declined once a certain income or development level was reached, supporting the EKC hypothesis. Stricter environmental policies were found to be effective in reducing emissions. Population growth was also found to reduce emissions by enhancing agricultural productivity, and the expansion of LAND increased emissions. One of the important findings of the study is that the interactions between environmental policies, EG, and FD can reduce GHG emissions significantly. The study emphasizes the need to adopt sustainable EG strategies, tightening environmental policies, and promoting sustainable agricultural technologies in OECD countries. Sharing agricultural sustainability and low-carbon development strategies through knowledge and technology transfer among OECD countries is recommended to combat global climate change effectively. In conclusion, coordinated efforts by OECD countries are required in order to enhance low-carbon agricultural development. © 2025 Society of Chemical Industry.

Dividend Imputation Systems in Industrialized Countries: An Examination of Relative Tax Burdens

Greater and greater attention is being paid to air pollution problems, because of their negative impact on the environment and human health. This article measures energy efficiency, carbon dioxide emissions efficiency, and particulate matter (PM2.5) concentration efficiency to compare the energy efficiency differences between Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) member countries and non-OECD member countries from 2010 to 2014 using a metafrontier dynamic Data Envelopment Analysis model. We calculate technology gap ratio and input and output efficiency values to measure the energy efficiencies of each economy, finding that (a) OECD countries have a technology gap ratio of 1 or very close to 1; and except for the United Arab Emirates and Singapore, both of which exhibit annual improvements, the non-OECD countries have a significant need for efficiency improvements; (b) the average technology gap ratio of OECD is higher than that of non-OECD countries; that is, while OECD countries’ technology gap ratio (TGR) changes are relatively stable, non-OECD countries’ TGRs are gradually increasing; (c) non-OECD countries have large PM2.5 concentration efficiency gaps, with the annual efficiencies in China, India, and Nepal being less than 0.2; (d) Switzerland, Denmark, France, the United Kingdom, Iceland, Luxembourg, Norway, the United States, and the United Arab Emirates all have new and traditional energy efficiency values of 1; and (e) Botswana, Algeria, and Cambodia have poor traditional energy efficiencies, but better new energy efficiencies, whereas Hungary, South Korea, Slovakia, and Slovenia have poor new energy efficiencies and better traditional energy efficiencies.

Financial convergence is a process for establishing a relationship among the financial markets of different countries; as a result of such process the rates of similar financial assets in different markets and countries become very close to each other. Some factors might create financial convergence. of which the trade and international capital flows among countries, the presence of banks and other financial institutions in the international arena, the availability of clear and accurate information of markets and financial organizations, and the existence of similar infrastructure and their characteristics from economic, legal and cultural perspectives can be mentioned. The issue of financial convergence with the aim of achieving global financial markets and taking advantage of its capabilities and characteristics would be very important for all countries, especially the emerging countries. This study examines financial convergence in the money and capital markets of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and BRICS countries in the period of 2007-2020. The study utilizes the Panel Convergence Methodology and Cluster Analysis (Philips and Sul methodology) along with a clustering algorithm. The findings indicate a lack of overall convergence between OECD and BRICS countries in both financial markets (money and capital) this is due to the lack of similar economic infrastructure, differences in the size of the economy, and variations in trade, financial and monetary freedom indicators, trade relations, and capital transfers. The cluster test in the money market confirms the existence of 3 convergence clubs among the studied countries. The convergence of emerging BRICS countries in the money market, with a large number of OECD developed countries, is a confirmation of the development of their banking sector in the recent years. On the other hand, the capital market survey also shows the presence of 5 convergence clubs between OECD and BRICS countries. Besides, it's been shown that South Africa, along with Lithuania, Turkey, Slovakia and Latvia, has established a divergent group.

This study examines the sustainability of current account deficits of eight emerging market economies, namely Brazil, Colombia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Indonesia, Peru, Russia and South Africa, over the period of 1996Q1-2009Q4 by employing linear and nonlinear panel unit root tests along with sequential panel selection method. While the results of the linear panel unit root test give evidence of the stationarity for the current accounts of Russia and Indonesia, the nonlinear panel unit root test indicates that only the current account of Indonesia is stationary. In this respect, the main contribution of the paper to related literature is to indicate the importance of distinguishing the linear and nonlinear adjustment processes in examining the current account sustainability.

BackgroundMembers of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) play a significant role in hosting and supporting refugees. Refugees and asylum seekers in OECD countries may face unique challenges in accessing perinatal healthcare. These challenges can impact their use of and experience with perinatal health services leading to poor maternal and infant outcomes. This scoping review describes the general trends in perinatal health research among refugees/asylum seekers in OECD countries over the past fifty years (1970 to 2021) as well as summarizes their perinatal experience.MethodsDatabases including Embase and Medline were searched using relevant key words for "refugee/ asylum seeker", "perinatal ", and " OECD countries.". Articles were excluded if they only involved economic migrants or internally displaced persons, conducted in non-OECD countries, only assessed health behaviors and practices during pregnancy (e.g., smoking), or were published in a language other than English. The final list of articles included 82 unique studies.ResultsIn the 40 years between 1970 and 2009, very few studies (n = 9) examined perinatal health among refugees/ asylum seekers in OECD countries. However, an increasing trend was observed over the past decade. Early studies (1980 to 2009) focused more on traditional perinatal outcomes; however, from 2010 onwards, studies related to perinatal experience were more likely to emerge in the global health literature. Access to timely prenatal care remains a challenge with failure to address the root causes of the problem in several OECD countries including those with a long history of hosting refugees. The limited availability of interpretation services and the lack of a patient-centered approach to care have also interfered with the perceived quality of care. In addition, perceived isolation and the limited social support experienced by this vulnerable population have negatively impacted their perinatal experiences in several OECD countries.ConclusionRefugee/asylum seekers in OECD countries face a number of challenges during the perinatal period. Policy changes and further research are needed to address access barriers and identify specific interventions that can improve their well-being during this critical period.

(ProQuest: ... denotes formulae omitted.)1.IntroductionThe Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) was established in 1961 and has 34 members. The OECD budget is approximately $357 million. During the study period, total real gross domestic product (GDP) rose by 22 percent, reaching $39 trillion. Capital increased by 8 percent, reaching $7.8 trillion, while labor power increased 11 percent, reaching 610 million people within the same period (https://data.oecd.org/). GDP growth was greater than capital and labor power growth. There was significant total factor productivity growth in OECD countries.Income distribution and differentiation among OECD countries, which are the leading economies of the world, are increasing (http://oecd/idd). The ratio of the top 10 percent to the bottom 10 percent is estimated to be 9.5 percent in 2012; however the relevant figure was 7 percent in 1980. The difference between the rich and the poor requires examining convergence and divergence among the relevant countries.Growth dynamics of countries as well as convergence among those countries have been studied for a long time according to neoclassical growth theories in various studies. A series of studies indicate convergence among OECD countries. The majority of such studies use productivity per worker and total factor productivity in order to analyze convergence. The case of residual is named after Solow (1957); that part of growth is known as Total Factor Productivity (TFP).The economic productivity and convergence issue of OECD countries, the economic structures of which are partially similar to each other and that are representative of relatively advanced economies, has been investigated by our study for the period between 2000 and 2012. In that regard, MI, which is interpreted by Caves et al. (1982), and the data envelopment analysis (DEA) method used by Charnes et al. (1978) are used for TFP. The description is used as inputs and outputs. Physical capital is used as input and is among some of the most important factors that affect technological development and productivity. Gross national product is used as output. All variables are divided into labor unit and necessary analyses are performed. Data sources are provided below. The whole variable value is calculated based on 2005 U.S. dollars. A total of 34 OECD countries are included in the analysis. Although some of the countries were not OECD member during the entire given period, they are still included. Whether there are any differences between these countries will be observed during the analysis process.The aim of this study is to analyze convergence in OECD countries over a reasonable period of time at the beginning of the new millennium. The period between 2000 and 2012 is chosen intentionally in order to examine the results of the financial crisis of 2009. Another reason for the short study period is our effort to include DEA, Malmquist, and convergence analyses together. Including more data sets would have expanded the DEA and TFP tables, which in turn would exceed the limits of this study. The study period has given us the chance to employ all three analyses. The set of values in the study are obtained from OECD StatExtracts. Real physical capital per worker, real human capital per worker, and real GDP per worker are calculated based on 2005 U.S. dollars.The literature and methodology forms the first part of the study while the results of the DEA and Malmquist index (MI) analysis of TFP are given in the following chapter. The conclusion and assessment make up the last part of this study.2.LiteratureIn recent years there have been many studies that examine convergence and economic growth. Barro and Sala-i Martin (1991, 1992) and Fare et al. (2006) are the major contributors to the relevant literature. According to Kruger (2003), experiential growth investigations over the last ten years have been pursued at least three different ways. …

In the context of intensifying climate change and increasing resource constraints, addressing the dual challenges of economic growth and environmental sustainability has emerged as a critical global priority. Green Total Factor Energy Efficiency (GTFEE), an essential metric for evaluating the coordination between economic development, energy efficiency, and environmental protection, plays a pivotal role in optimizing resource allocation, fostering technological innovation, and supporting the pursuit of sustainable development. However, existing research has yet to provide a comprehensive and systematic analysis of GTFEE’s long-term trends and its underlying driving mechanisms. This study addresses this gap by focusing on OECD (Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development) countries, employing the super-efficient SBM-DEA model with non-expected outputs to evaluate GTFEE from 1995 to 2021 systematically. The analysis delves into the spatial and temporal characteristics of GTFEE and its dynamic evolution patterns. The findings reveal a sustained upward trajectory in GTFEE across OECD countries, with the average score rising from 0.7814 in 1995 to 0.8894 in 2021. Nonetheless, substantial heterogeneity persists in GTFEE levels among regions and countries. Further, using quantile random forest regression analysis, the study identifies critical determinants of GTFEE, including economic development levels, energy intensity, technological innovation capacity, industrial structure optimization, fiscal revenue, and urbanization. These results not only elucidate the driving mechanisms of GTFEE but also offer a robust theoretical foundation and actionable policy insights for advancing green energy transitions and achieving sustainable development goals. A comprehensive and integrated assessment of Green Total Factor Energy Efficiency (GTFEE) in OECD countries is crucial for advancing sustainable development. This study systematically measures GTFEE in OECD countries over the period 1995-2021, utilizing the super-efficient SBM-DEA model with an undesired output. It further analyzes the spatial and temporal distribution characteristics and dynamic evolution of GTFEE. The results indicate that, overall, GTFEE in OECD countries exhibits an upward trend throughout the study period, with the average value increasing from 0.7814 in 1995 to 0.8894 in 2021, reflecting improvements in green total factor energy efficiency. However, substantial disparities in GTFEE levels are observed across countries, suggesting varied rates of progress and effectiveness in promoting green transitions and enhancing energy efficiency. Through quantile random forest regression analysis, the study identifies key determinants influencing GTFEE, including the level of economic development (as measured by GNI per capita), energy intensity (primary energy consumption), technological innovation capacity, industrial structure optimization, fiscal revenue, and urbanization.