Abstract
This study examines how the relationship between urbanization (measured as the percentage of total population living in urban areas) and the carbon intensity of well-being (CIWB) (measured as a ratio of carbon dioxide emissions and life expectancy) in most nations from 1960–2013 varies based on the economic context and whereabouts of a substantial portion of a nation’s urban population. To accomplish this, we use the United Nations’ (UN) definition of slum households to identify developing countries that have substantial slum populations, and estimate a Prais-Winsten regression model with panel-corrected standard errors (PCSE), allowing for disturbances that are heteroskedastic and contemporaneously correlated across panels. Our findings indicate that the rate of increase in CIWB for countries without substantial slum populations begins to slow down at higher levels of urbanization, however, the association between urbanization and CIWB is much smaller in countries with substantial slum populations. Overall, while urbanization is associated with increases in CIWB, the relationship between urban development and CIWB is vastly different in developed nations without slums than in under-developed nations with slums.
Highlights
Previous research has demonstrated that increases in urban slum populations in developing nations are associated with increases in infant and child mortality rates, and with decreases in energy consumption [1]
A recent body of research has emerged that assesses the relationship between various forms of socioeconomic development and what is known as the carbon intensity of well-being (CIWB), measured as a ratio of carbon dioxide emissions/life expectancy at birth
We address some of these concerns, as well as others pertaining to urban development and carbon dioxide emissions, by constructing a statistical model that assesses the nonlinear relationship between CIWB and urban population growth in developing countries that have considerable slum populations relative to urban growth in developed countries and/or countries with no slum populations
Summary
Previous research has demonstrated that increases in urban slum populations in developing nations are associated with increases in infant and child mortality rates, and with decreases in energy consumption [1]. A recent body of research has emerged that assesses the relationship between various forms of socioeconomic development and what is known as the carbon intensity of well-being (CIWB), measured as a ratio of carbon dioxide emissions/life expectancy at birth. Of the existing research exploring this relationship, it has been noted that a potential complicating factor in assessments pertaining to the correlation between urbanization and CIWB is the variation in forms of urban development cross nationally [6]. We review relevant research on the topics of urbanization and CO2 emissions, urbanization and well-being, and CIWB to discuss how these works inform our theoretical and methodological approach
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