Muhammad Zahir Khan

The challenges of reducing greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution through energy sources: evidence from a panel of developed countries

The objective of the study is to investigate the long-run relationship between climatic factors (i.e., greenhouse gas emissions, agricultural methane emissions, and industrial nitrous oxide emission), air pollution (i.e., carbon dioxide emissions), and energy sources (i.e., nuclear energy; oil, gas, and coal energy; and fossil fuel energy) in the panel of 35 developed countries (including EU-15, new EU member states, G-7, and other countries) over a period of 1975–2012. In order to achieve this objective, the present study uses sophisticated panel econometric techniques including panel cointegration, panel fully modified OLS (FMOLS), and dynamic OLS (DOLS). The results show that there is a long-run relationship between the variables. Nuclear energy reduces greenhouse gases and carbon emissions; however, the other emissions, i.e., agricultural methane emissions and industrial nitrous oxide, are still to increase during the study period. Electricity production from oil, gas, and coal sources increases the greenhouse gases and carbon emissions; however, the intensity to increase emissions is far less than the intensity to increase emissions through fossil fuel. Policies that reduce emissions of greenhouse gases can simultaneously alter emissions of conventional pollutants that have deleterious effects on human health and the environment.

Poverty–Growth–Inequality Triangle by Principal Component Analysis With an Empirical Illustration Using Pakistan’s Data

The objective of the study is to investigate the associations among rural poverty, agriculture growth and income inequality in Pakistan as problems that have emerged in Pakistan during 1990s and 2000s (i.e., the reduction of agricultural share in GDP, widening income disparities and increasing vulnerability) by adjusting for the influences of rural development, sanitation and education. The regression result indicates that rural development and national income per capita has a negative association with poverty and income inequality, and a positive association with agriculture growth in Pakistan. Similarly, FDI has a positive impact on rural development, income inequality and poverty. External debt has positive associations with the poverty and income inequality in rural Pakistan. Finally, health expenditures have a positive relationship with the poverty and inequality which indicates that Pakistan’s health reforms are intrinsically anti-poor.

Environmental Indicators and Energy Outcomes: Evidence From the World Bank’s Classification Countries

This article has been retracted.