THE IMPACT OF ECONOMIC GROWTH AND BIOCAPACITY ON ECOLOGICAL FOOTPRINT IN EU COUNTRIES

Authors : Yusuf Muratoğlu, Serdar Varlık
Pages : 863-882
Doi:10.53092/duiibfd.1713073
View : 46 | Download : 147
Publication Date : 2025-11-30
Article Type : Research Paper
Abstract :Over the past three decades, the relationship between economic growth, energy consumption, and environmental degradation has garnered significant scholarly attention, often framed within the context of the Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) hypothesis. While earlier studies predominantly utilized carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions as a proxy for environmental pollution, recent research emphasizes the ecological footprint as a more comprehensive and multidimensional indicator. The ecological footprint measures the biologically productive land and water area required to sustain a population’s consumption and waste assimilation, whereas biocapacity reflects the regenerative capacity of ecosystems. When the ecological footprint per capita in a country or the world exceeds the biocapacity per capita, natural resources are used in an unsustainable way. The primary aim of this study is to empirically investigate the effects of economic growth and biocapacity on the ecological footprint across 27 European Union member states over the period 1993–2023. In the study, the effects of economic expansion and natural resource capacity on environmental sustainability are evaluated together. Panel data analysis reveals that both economic growth and biocapacity exert a positive and statistically significant impact on ecological footprint. These findings suggest that economic development, even when accompanied by increased biocapacity, may contribute to heightened environmental pressure, raising concerns about the sustainability of current growth trajectories. By highlighting this dynamic, the study contributes to a nuanced understanding of the ecological implications of growth-oriented economic policies and underscores the need for integrated, sustainability-focused policy frameworks in the EU context.
Keywords : Ekolojik Ayak Izi, Biyokapasite, Ekonomik Büyüme, Çevresel Sürdürülebilirlik, Panel Veri Analizi

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