Interrelationships between sectoral growth and greenhouse gases emissions in Central Europe.

Ahmed Altouma

Doctoral thesis

Abstract:

Central European countries are among the developed countries with good investment potential with suitable infrastructure, which own almost forty percent of the GDP of the countries of the European region. To achieve this, these countries have diversified their economic activities, causing an additional ten percent of the total greenhouse gas emissions compared to the average they should contribute compared to other European countries. Agriculture, forestry, and other land uses contribute negatively to the environment in about one-fifth of the annual carbon dioxide emissions that negatively contribute to global climate change. Deforestation is the main cause of a high percentage of emissions. Central European countries have different industrial levels, anyway, they consider the industrial sector as one of the vital sectors to ensure the continuity of the industrial level. Different types of energy are used, both renewable and non-renewable. And since energy is the number one cause of industrial emissions, the use of non-renewable energy leads to increased emissions that will negatively impact the environment. The movement of people and the transportation of products in various ways is the main cause of carbon dioxide and methane emissions in the service sector. Households are also a significant contributor to gas emissions. These countries participate in agreements guaranteeing environmental protection and are an essential part of the European Green Deal. Central European countries have provided different solutions to keep pace with economic development, considering sustainable development and its applications in agriculture, industry, and services. To solve this problem, governments are trying to implement the provisions of the European Green Deal, a rapid transition to the production and use of renewable energy, a ban or limitation of deforestation, and in addition, an acceleration of the transition to circular economy applications. explore and evaluate the impact of the major sectors that make up the economy on the environment, represented by greenhouse gas emissions. Providing achievable proposals that suit the situation of each country according to its situation and priorities. The research will discuss the whole economy sectors in order to find out which sector contributes the most emissions and has the greatest environmental impact on the environment. The results of this research should show experts, politicians, and laypeople which industries and technologies have the greatest impact on the environment. This dissertation was analyzed using panel data from 1995 to 2018. Using two main types of analysis. The first is the panel VAR and the second is the panel ARDL. Granger causality analysis was also used as a companion step to panel VAR analysis. The null hypothesis of this dissertation was rejected in three places, namely that "economic growth is important and a significant contributor to (greenhouse gas, carbon dioxide, methane) emissions in Central Europe", and therefore the alternative hypothesis was accepted that "economic growth is not significant and does not significantly contribute to emissions (greenhouse gases, carbon dioxide, methane) in Central Europe. Unfortunately, in reality, the null hypothesis was temporarily accepted in the EU. These results confirm that the countries of Central Europe are, from a theoretical point of view and perspective, on the right track when it comes to the transition to a green economy through the production and use of renewable energies. Likewise, the results confirm that these countries need a qualitative shift in the field of agriculture in order to reduce nitrogen oxide emissions and thus greenhouse gas emissions. This is achieved by many methods, mainly by reducing deforestation, manure management, and agricultural land. Likewise, the appropriate use of mechanization for precise feed preparation, the use of environmentally friendly fertilizers, and the promotion of the

Abstract:

use of renewable energies in agricultural areas. These new methods will lead to the acceleration of the employment of qualified staff and thus to the solution of the above-mentioned objectives.

Keywords

Emissions, Agriculture, Industry, energy, ARDL Panel, Economic growth, VAR panel, Central Europe

Language used: English

Date on which the thesis was submitted / produced: 10. 12. 2023

Thesis defence

• Supervisor: doc. Ing. Vladimír Krepl, CSc.
• Reader: Miroslav Hájek, doc. Ing., Ph.D., Ladislav Rolínek, Ing., externi, Pavel Žufan, externi

Czech University of Life Sciences Prague

Faculty of Economics and Management

Doctoral programme / field:
Economics and Management / Sector Economics and Economics of Enterprise