The Analysis of Carbon Footprint in Central and Eastern European Countries

Abstract

Carbon footprint is said to be a widely accepted indicator originating from different economic activities. Due to its important role in raising awareness of global warming, scientists and policymakers often use it as a management tool for measuring environmental degradation. In the last decade, climate change became an urgent issue in many countries and region, therefore, it is important to investigate how the carbon footprint is changed in Central and Eastern European countries. This study investigates the evolution of carbon footprint considering the role of economic development, agriculture and agricultural trade between 1961 and 2013. Data are derived from the Global Footprint Network and the World Bank. The sample includes a dataset of 13 CEE countries and 53 years period. Results indicate that carbon footprint is positively correlated with economic development, agricultural production, and agricultural trade in CEE. By contrast, their carbon footprint is negatively associated with agricultural development.