Exploring carbon emissions and international inequality in a globalized world: A multiregional-multisectoral perspective

Bolea, Lucía (Universidad de Zaragoza) ; Duarte, Rosa (Universidad de Zaragoza) ; Sánchez-Chóliz, Julio (Universidad de Zaragoza)

Resumen: The phenomenon of economic convergence has been investigated from different perspectives, aiming to analyze whether economies move towards a common growth path or tend to diverge over time, and the consequences of this for economic cohesion. However, these consequences for the evolution of CO2 emissions in the study of global convergence of CO2 emissions, and the implications in terms of pollution, inequality, and income-dependence have received less attention in the literature of convergence. The increasing globalization of economies and the rising fragmentation of supply chains imply many countries involved in the production chains and, in consequence, a vision is needed of worldwide emissions associated with these processes. In this paper, we use the multisectoral and multiregional perspective provided by a multiregional input-output model (MRIO), and the associated databases, to analyze the evolution of inequality in CO2 emissions, paying attention to the roles played by regional specificities and/or productive structures. MRIO models and indicators presented, provide the basis to assess to what extent countries and/or sectors are walking towards a common path or, on the contrary, tend to be more unequal over time. Given the role that structure, final demands and international trade play in these models, we can offer a novel structural view of the convergence issue. Moreover, MRIO models also allow analyzing this question combining the perspectives of production and consumption, and their relationship through international trade. Moreover, our paper attempts to shed light on the discussion about the global and regional process of generation of emissions, paying special attention to cluster analysis and to the existence of common trends by groups of countries. Empirically, the information provided by the most recent edition of the World Input-Output Database (WIOD) and environmental accounts compatible with this database, is used. In our view, the results contribute new dimensions and insights to the issue of international inequality in terms of environmental pressures and opens new debates on the relocation of environmental damage, comparative advantage, and the environmental footprint.

Idioma: Inglés

DOI: 10.1016/j.resconrec.2019.104516

Año: 2020

Publicado en: Resources, Conservation and Recycling 152 (2020), 104516 [11 pp.]
ISSN: 0921-3449

Originalmente disponible en: Texto completo de la revista

Factor impacto JCR: 10.204 (2020)

Categ. JCR: ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES rank: 11 / 273 = 0.04 (2020) - Q1 - T1
Categ. JCR: ENGINEERING, ENVIRONMENTAL rank: 5 / 53 = 0.094 (2020) - Q1 - T1

Factor impacto SCIMAGO: 2.468 - Waste Management and Disposal (Q1) - Economics and Econometrics (Q1)

Tipo y forma: Article (PostPrint)

Área (Departamento): Área Fund. Análisis Económico (Dpto. Análisis Económico)