Economic growth and environmental quality: a meta-analysis of environmental Kuznets curve studies

Meta-analysis is used to investigate systematic variation across Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) studies. Based on 588 observations, modeling results indicate that data characteristics, study methods, estimation techniques, and the chosen environmental quality degradation measure all significantly affect the absence or presence of the EKC, and any predicted income turning points (ITPs). With respect to anthropogenic activity-related greenhouse gases, the evidence does not support the presence of an EKC.