TIME SERIES ANALYSIS OF CARBON DIOXIDE EMISSION, POPULATION, CARBON TAX AND ENERGY USE IN SOUTH AFRICA

Rufaro Garidzirai

doi:10.32479/ijeep.9618

Abstract

The nexus among carbon emission, energy use, population and carbon tax cannot be overlooked. Such a relationship plays an important role to environmentalists, economists, policy makers and researchers. Thus, this study investigates the nexus among carbon emission, population, energy use and carbon tax from 1970-2018. The objective of this study sought to establish the link among carbon emission, carbon tax, energy use and population. The objective was achieved using the Autoregressive Distributive Lag model (ARDL) since it gives accurate parameters. The results of the study show that energy use and population growth positively influence carbon dioxide emission, while carbon tax reduces carbon emission. Based on the study's results, the study recommends that South Africa`s government promote the use of clean energy and develop ways to reduce population growth in minimizing carbon emission.Keywords: Carbon dioxide emission, population, carbon tax, energy use, South AfricaJEL Classifications: Q43, Q56DOI: https://doi.org/10.32479/ijeep.9618

Highlights

Dialogues on carbon dioxide emission have increased in the past decades
This section discusses the results of the study: descriptive statistics, unit root tests, autoregressive distributive lag model (ARDL) and post estimation results
The results reveal that the likely ratio (LR), final prediction error (FPE), akaike information criterion (AIC), Schwarz Criterion (SC) and Hanna-Quinn (HQ) were recommended

Summary

Introduction

Dialogues on carbon dioxide emission have increased in the past decades. Surrounding the conversations are the causes of carbon dioxide emission, the impact of carbon dioxide emission and the mitigation of carbon dioxide emission. There is concurrence among researchers, economists and environmentalists that carbon dioxide is not ecologically sound and is mainly caused by energy use (Department of Environment Affairs, 2020). Though energy use is the catalyst for economic development it produces a byproduct of carbon dioxide emission that causes climate change. As such the government has embarked on implementing fiscal policies to reduce this epidemic. Carbon tax exerts pressure on poor households, especially those who spend much on energy goods and services. This widens the inequality gap, depending on the population growth rate of a country. Since the relationship among carbon emission, population, energy use and carbon tax is intertwined, such a relationship is vital and cannot be disregarded

Methods

Results

Conclusion