Title: Identifying the drivers of environmental pressures: evidence from Tunisia

Authors: Samira Haddou Boughrara

Addresses: Department of Quantitative Methods and Information Technology, High Institute of Management, University of Sousse, Sousse, Tunisia; Research Laboratory for Economy, Management and Quantitative Finance, University of Sousse, Sousse, Tunisia

Abstract: This paper employs a STIRPAT model to conduct a long- and short-run analysis for CO₂ emissions in Tunisia during the period of 1971-2008, by using a bounds testing approach for a cointegration methodology. The empirical estimates have shown that the population growth brings about CO₂-emission rise. Nonetheless, the environmental impact is found to be more pronounced in the short run rather than in the long run. Affluence has the greatest effect on the CO₂ emissions in terms of contribution degree to the change of the environmental impact in the long run. Moreover, the rapid decrease in energy intensity, through optimising industrial and energy structures and thus raising the proportion of clean energy sources and improving energy efficiency, seems to be the main cause of restraining the increase in Tunisia's environmental impact. Finally, the carbon intensity impact remains stable in the short and long runs. Against this background, the paper recommends pursuing a well-structured and coherent policy framework for enhancing energy efficiency for CO₂ reduction in Tunisia.

Keywords: bounds testing; CO2; carbon dioxide; carbon emissions; environmental impact; STIRPAT model; Tunisia; environmental pressures; air pollution; clean energy sources; energy efficiency; energy policy.

DOI: 10.1504/IJGEI.2017.080764

International Journal of Global Energy Issues, 2017 Vol.40 No.1/2, pp.1 - 19

Accepted: 17 Mar 2016
Published online: 06 Dec 2016 *

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