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This study examines the Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) hypothesis in the context of 12 members of the OPEC by utilizing data on both the aggregate gross value added and the services' sectoral value-added between 1992 and 2015. This empirical work contributes to the literature by applying the panel spatial techniques which resulted in the findings as follows. Firstly, the results verify the authenticity of the EKC hypothesis for the aggregate level of gross value added as perceived from its inverted-U shaped association with CO2 emissions. Secondly, the disaggregated analysis affirms the heterogeneity of the validity of the EKC hypothesis across the subsectors within the services sector; this justifies the importance of analyzing the EKC hypothesis from a comprehensive (disaggregated) perspective for unearthing key sector-specific policy implications. The results reveal that the EKC hypothesis holds only in the context of construction services only but not for the cases of restaurant services, tourism and transportation services. These key findings call for effective measures to be undertaken to address the adverse environmental impacts that can be attributed to thse three sub-sectors for which the EKC did not hold. In line with the overall findings from the empirical exercises, it is recommended that the concerned OPEC members reduce their monotonic dependency on the consumption of fossil fuels, oil in particular, and gradually incorporate renewable energy resources into the energy-mix particularly within their respective services sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the provincial impact of fiscal decentralization, in the form of shifting fiscal responsibilities of expenditures and revenues and others from the central government to lower local governments, as well as rapidly rising urbanization, on energy consumption for 31 Chinese provinces subject to relevant important control variables over the period 2006 to 2015. This analysis has implications for economic growth, efficiency and equality in China. To this end, the study employs multiple panel data analyses and panel quantile regressions to analyse this impact. Our findings show that fiscal decentralization has a non-linear relationship with energy consumption, which confirms the concave behaviour of fiscal decentralization in the Chinese provinces and underscores the validity of the environmental Kuznets curve hypothesis in those provinces, given the control variables. Moreover, increasing Chinese urbanization leads to high demand for energy consumption. Provincial governments can support eco-innovation and eco-investment by pursuing green growth strategies such as the expansion of the service sector and the boosting of the renewable energy sector: particularly when taking into account that coal, at one end of the spectrum, generates a 20 times greater carbon impact than renewables at the other. • We test the relationship between Fiscal Decentralization (FD) and energy consumption. • Our sample covers 31 Chinese provinces over the period 2006–2015. • Panel data estimators and panel quantile regression are used in the analysis. • There is a non-linear FD-energy consumption nexus, following the EKC hypothesis. • Chinese urbanization increases the demand for energy consumption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sectors contribute differently to the total level of CO 2 emissions per capita, since they are heterogeneous in terms of GDP structure. This work investigates the Environmental Kuznets Curve hypothesis considering a set of twelve of the fourteen OPEC countries. It contributes to previous literature exploring the Environmental Kuznets Curve relationship by analysing how economic activity sector diversification impacts the relationship between economic growth and carbon emissions, addressing an important identified gap. To address this gap, annual data from 1992 to 2015 is used. A panel cross-section analysis is provided between countries, and for the seven considered sectors, is estimated through panel corrected standard errors and convergence estimations are presented. Conclusions point to the relocation of pollution-intensive sectors to almost all of the OPEC countries. For all countries, a U-shaped relationship is evidenced, implying that economic growth in oil-producing and exporting countries increases environmental degradation. While energy consumption increases environmental damage, trade openness seems to have a significant and negative effect over emissions, leading to environmental improvements. This study points out that OPEC countries will have increased challenges facing them in terms of environmental degradation and only a few economic activity sectors can conduct environmental improvements through growth. The inclusion of oil prices increased coefficients magnitude. Probably these sectors are already allocating more labour and capital in projects and investments on renewable energy, energy efficiency and energy savings, substituting fossil fuels like oil. • Economic activity sectors diversification influences EKC hypothesis?. • Different degrees of environmental awareness are evidenced by sector. • Trade openness reveals to have a significant and negative effect over emissions. • Deterministic and stochastic convergence differences in sectors and countries. • Relocation of pollution-intensive sectors to almost all of the OPEC countries needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]