The Convergence in Ecological Footprint Intensity Across Ecowas Countries: Evidence From A Novel Approach

Yılancı V., Ursavaş N., Yasin I.

ENVIRONMENT, DEVELOPMENT AND SUSTAINABILITY A MULTIDISCIPLINARY APPROACH TO THE THEORY AND PRACTICE OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT, no.Forthcoming, pp.1-22, 2024 (SCI-Expanded)

  • Publication Type: Article / Article
  • Publication Date: 2024
  • Journal Name: ENVIRONMENT, DEVELOPMENT AND SUSTAINABILITY A MULTIDISCIPLINARY APPROACH TO THE THEORY AND PRACTICE OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
  • Journal Indexes: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus, International Bibliography of Social Sciences, PASCAL, ABI/INFORM, Agricultural & Environmental Science Database, Aquatic Science & Fisheries Abstracts (ASFA), BIOSIS, Business Source Elite, Business Source Premier, CAB Abstracts, Geobase, Greenfile, Index Islamicus, Pollution Abstracts, Veterinary Science Database, Civil Engineering Abstracts
  • Page Numbers: pp.1-22
  • Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University Affiliated: Yes

Abstract

Ecological footprint intensity (EFI) reflects the amount of ecological footprint utilized to generate one

dollar of GDP per capita. Analyzing EFI convergence among countries unveils the efficiency of

ecological footprint usage while considering GDP per capita differences. This study investigates the

convergence process of EFI across 12 Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS)

countries from 1961 to 2018. Unlike previous studies focusing on convergence across the entire

period, this research employs a novel approach using the Discrete Wavelet Transform (DWT) to

decompose the EFI series into different frequency scales (short, medium, and long-run). This

methodology enables us to assess convergence patterns across various time frames, providing a more

comprehensive understanding of the convergence process. We then apply the Fourier Augmented

Dickey-Fuller unit root test to examine convergence across each frequency. Our findings reveal that

while short-term convergence is evident for all 12 countries, medium and long-term convergence

patterns vary. These results highlight the importance of considering time periods when developing

environmental policies.