Within environmental sustainability an analysis on Turkey level–2 sub–regional

The purpose of this research is to analyze the environment problematic within the framework of the ecological economics approaches to the economic activities by the ecological borders by reviewing 26 sub–zone sample set within the 2nd level regions of Turkey from 2007 to 2014. The statics panel data method is used to test the relations between the greenhouse gas emission and the parameters of income, population density, number of automobiles, electric consumption, foreign trade, and number of higher education students. It is found with reference to the research results that the effects of the variables of population density, number of automobiles, electric consumption, and foreign trade on the greenhouse gas emissions are statistically significant. On the other hand, the effects of the variables of income, and number of higher education students on the greenhouse gas emissions are insignificant. In this regard, the empirical evidences report that the population density, number of automobiles, and electric consumption increase the greenhouse gas emissions while the foreign trade decreases this emission mentioned. Following points are recommended in line with the results obtained: (1) A rapid transition process from the nonrenewable energy sources from the renewable ones should be adopted to improve the environmental quality, (2) The educational level of the population and the physical infrastructure should be developed in densely populated regions by considering the qualitative values in population policy planning, (3) The share of the environmental expenses should be increased, (4) The environmental policy instruments that are limited to energy taxes, environmental impact taxes and pollution penalties should be extended so as to include the other types of policy measures such as additional pollution taxes, emission trade and permissions, increasing the plant productivity, reduction investments towards low energy density, (5) The strategies work on the environmental factors in socio–economic policies need to developed.