The relationship between openness and environmental pollution

Today, the environmental burden has gained a transboundary dimension, and the increase in emission rates has reached a level that will cause global warming. It is important for global welfare that economies in the growth race act together. The theoretical results of the curve obtained in an inverted U shape with per capita income, which is tried to be explained with the environmental Kuznets curve approach, are still being discussed. In addition, approaches such as pollution shelters, bottom competitors, trade-related disruptions and technological improvement, which are alternatives to this approach and derived from the same curve, offer more rational solutions in balancing the environmental burden, especially for low and middle income groups. In the study, the relationship between environmental pollution and openness was examined according to income groups. For this purpose, the effects of external openness, per capita income, urban population ratio and renewable energy consumption values of countries determined within the framework of the STIRPAT model on carbon emissions were examined. For the 1990-2015 period data, the variables were analyzed using panel cointegration and causality analysis. According to the findings obtained from the study, openness increases environmental pollution especially in low and middle income group countries. It has been observed that countries in the low and middle income groups are negatively affected by openness and increasing trade in terms of environmental burden. Openness has not had the expected impact in terms of technological development in low- and middle-income countries. These countries need to reorganize their education, specialization, learning and R&D processes in order to increase their environmental wellfare. Keywords: Openness, Environmental pollution, Emission, EKC, STIRPAT The studies carried out within the scope of this thesis were supported by TÜBİTAK within the framework of the BİDEB 2211-A Domestic PhD Scholarship Program.