Economic growth and air pollution in iran during development programs

ABSTRACT

Given the importance of environment and sustainable development, environmental issues are very important. Investigating environment quality and economic growth relation plays an important role in optimizing economic development perspective in the country. For this purpose, this study surveys the aforementioned relationship in the various Country Development Programs. Variables of the model are carbon dioxide emissions per capita [as an indicator of pollution], Iran GDP per capita, the number of cars produced and imported, the degree of openness of an economy [ratio of total exports and imports to GDP], the country population, and the dummy variables of development programs. The results of this study showed that in the variables classes, the Chi-squafe test represent that the emissions of carbon dioxide and air pollution have significant relationship. The estimated logarithmic Grossman and Krueger model showed that the domestic gross incomes, the number of vehicles, and the rate of population have direct relationship with carbon dioxide gas emissions. The highest correlation is related to gross domestic income. So that one percent increase in gross income, these gas emissions 5.539 percent will increase. The relationship between the degree of openness of economy and these gas emissions was negative, with one percent increase in this index; these gas emissions 0.3372 percent will be reduced. Finally, results showed that the third Development Program compared with the other programs was successful in controlling pollution. It indicated less annual increase in carbon dioxide emissions and pollution that is caused by the implementation of programs like Comprehensive Program of Pollution Reduction in the eight largest cities. Therefore, this study suggests that these programs should be continued with emphasis on the control of all effective variables