Urbanization and CO2 emissions: A semi-parametric panel data analysis

Abstract

This paper investigates the relationship between urbanization and CO2 emissions in a sample of 20 emerging countries over the period 1992–2008 using the semi-parametric panel data model with fixed effects, proposed by Baltagi and Li (2002). We find little evidence in support of an inverted-U curve, and thus the Kuznets hypothesis is not confirmed by our analysis. Our findings shed new light on the urbanization- CO2 emissions nexus.