International cooperation, production side emissions and environmental sustainability
International Journal of Social Economics
ISSN: 0306-8293
Article publication date: 30 January 2023
Issue publication date: 17 May 2023
Abstract
Purpose
Rising greenhouse gases have contributed to global warming above the pre-industrial levels with detrimental effects on world climatic patterns. Extreme weather has inflicted drastic impacts, including loss of lives and livelihoods and economic disruption. However, collective international cooperation in adopting greenhouse gas emission mitigating measures can translate into long-run beneficial effects of improving environmental quality. This study examines if international environmental cooperation among the world's top ten polluters can reduce production side emissions.
Design/methodology/approach
The panel estimation procedure was applied to data from ten top polluting countries from 2000 to 2019.
Findings
The results revealed a statistically significant inverse association between a nation's commitments to international environmental treaties and carbon dioxide emissions. Other than confirming the environmental Kuznets curve effect, industrial intensification, international trade and law rule are other strong correlations of carbon dioxide emissions.
Research limitations/implications
The main policy implication is the urgency for the leaders of the world's top ten polluters to actively cooperate in developing and implementing new production-side carbon emission measures as well as the implementation and enforcement of existing international treaties to minimize further environmental damage and let the countries in the lower ranks of carbon emissions to enjoy the long-run benefits of the decarbonized world.
Originality/value
This study makes a new contribution to the environmental research literature by unfolding how collective global cooperation on environmental challenges can help reduce environmental damage in a coherent analytical framework.
Peer review
The peer review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/IJSE-09-2022-0598
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The author thanks two anonymous referees for their thoughtful comments on an earlier draft.
Citation
Gani, A. (2023), "International cooperation, production side emissions and environmental sustainability", International Journal of Social Economics, Vol. 50 No. 6, pp. 860-875. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJSE-09-2022-0598
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2023, Emerald Publishing Limited