The Effects of Economic Development, International Trade, Industrial Structure and Energy Demands on Sustainable Development

• Published in: Sustainable development (Bradford, West Yorkshire, England) Vol. 22; no. 6; pp. 377 - 390
• Main Authors: Chang, Dong-Shang, Yeh, Li-Ting, Chen, Yong-fu
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Chichester Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.11.2014; Wiley; Wiley Periodicals Inc
• Subjects: Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Applied ecology; Biological and medical sciences; Carbon footprint; Copyright; Demand (economics); Economic activity; Economic development; Economic growth; Economics; energy demands; Energy policy; Environment and sustainable development; Environmental economics; Environmental impact; Environmental policy; Environmental protection; Export-import trade; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Global economy; Industrial structure; International trade; Manycountries; Market structure; Policies; Power demand; Studies; Sustainable development; Industry; International trade; carbon footprint; Energy demand; Ecological footprint; energy demands; industrial structure; Sustainable development; Economic development; Carbon balance
• ISSN: 0968-0802; 1099-1719
• DOI: 10.1002/sd.1555

ABSTRACT The carbon footprint is the most important measure to achieve sustainable development, generating information that facilitates the establishment of sound environmental policy by policy makers. This study attempts to investigate the factors that influence the carbon footprint from a global economic perspective. The empirical analysis is conducted using panel data from 98 countries with annual observations that span from 1990 to 2007. The results show that the increase in the carbon footprint resulting from economic growth cannot be counterbalanced by technological advances in environmental protection at different stages of economic development. Furthermore, international trade, industrial structure and energy demands have significant effects on the carbon footprint. The results also indicate that the adjustment of industrial structure for a low carbon footprint economy is more important than other factors. Because the expansion of international economic activity is associated with industrial structure and energy demands, governments must re‐examine their policies that affect these urgent issues in the effort to achieve low carbon footprint economies. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment