CO2 emissions and energy technologies in Western Europe

  1. J. Barrera-Santana
  2. Gustavo A. Marrero
  3. Luis A. Puch
  4. Antonia Díaz
Journal:
SERIEs : Journal of the Spanish Economic Association

ISSN: 1869-4195

Year of publication: 2021

Issue Title: The Economics of the Energy Transition

Volume: 12

Issue: 2

Pages: 105-150

Type: Article

DOI: 10.1007/S13209-021-00234-8 DIALNET GOOGLE SCHOLAR lock_openOpen access editor

More publications in: SERIEs : Journal of the Spanish Economic Association

Sustainable development goals

Abstract

In this paper, we investigate the path to the green transition in Europe. In so doing, we implement an empirical model of dynamic panel data on a sample of sixteen Western European countries over the period 1980 to 2019. The model is consistent with various features of neoclassical growth theory incorporating energy use. Our focus is on the short-run determinants of carbon emissions within that set of countries. We provide evidence that the relationship between economic activity and CO2 emissions is strong in economies where economic booms depend on energy-intensive sectors. Also, the mitigating role of renewable energy technologies is key when energy intensity rebounds. These circumstances may constitute a challenge for the climate transition goals targeted in the EU’s Recovery Plan, whose main objective at this very moment is to mitigate the economic and social impact of the coronavirus pandemic

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