TY - JOUR
T1 - Three-dimensional ecological footprint and economic complexity nexus in GCC countries
AU - Saboori, Behnaz
AU - Tarazkar, Mohammad Hassan
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2024, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V.
PY - 2024/1/18
Y1 - 2024/1/18
N2 - The ecological footprint is unable to separate stock capital from flow capital and measures only natural capital. In this study, the three-dimensional ecological footprint was measured for the Persian Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). For the first time, the three-dimensional ecological footprint (EF3-D) and economic complexity nexus were examined in GCC countries, and the results are compared to the classical ecological footprint (EF2-D). The quantile regression method was used to investigate the impacts of economic complexity, population, economic growth, and energy consumption on different quantiles of EF2-D and EF3-D over the period 2000–2017. The results indicated that, in addition to its ecological benefits, economic complexity can effectively decouple environmental sustainability from both EF2-D and EF3-D in GCC countries. Additionally, empirical findings supported an inverse U-shaped relationship between both the three-dimensional and traditional ecological footprints and economic growth at all quantiles. Moreover, population and fossil fuel energy were found to have a positive effect on EF2-D and EF3-D in GCC countries. Based on these findings, policymakers are advised to propose comprehensive policies that target not just the size but also the depth of ecological footprints.
AB - The ecological footprint is unable to separate stock capital from flow capital and measures only natural capital. In this study, the three-dimensional ecological footprint was measured for the Persian Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). For the first time, the three-dimensional ecological footprint (EF3-D) and economic complexity nexus were examined in GCC countries, and the results are compared to the classical ecological footprint (EF2-D). The quantile regression method was used to investigate the impacts of economic complexity, population, economic growth, and energy consumption on different quantiles of EF2-D and EF3-D over the period 2000–2017. The results indicated that, in addition to its ecological benefits, economic complexity can effectively decouple environmental sustainability from both EF2-D and EF3-D in GCC countries. Additionally, empirical findings supported an inverse U-shaped relationship between both the three-dimensional and traditional ecological footprints and economic growth at all quantiles. Moreover, population and fossil fuel energy were found to have a positive effect on EF2-D and EF3-D in GCC countries. Based on these findings, policymakers are advised to propose comprehensive policies that target not just the size but also the depth of ecological footprints.
KW - 3-D ecological footprint
KW - Economic complexity index (ECI)
KW - GCC countries
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UR - https://www.mendeley.com/catalogue/1616003f-dbc7-3ff6-9175-42d68d2e8052/
U2 - 10.1007/s10668-023-04374-8
DO - 10.1007/s10668-023-04374-8
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85182686531
SN - 1387-585X
JO - Environment, Development and Sustainability
JF - Environment, Development and Sustainability
ER -