The relationship between GDP and methane emissions from solid waste: A panel data analysis for the G7

This study aims to explore the relationship between per capita Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and CH4 (methane) emissions from solid waste disposal as environmental pollution in the Group of Seven (G7) countries. All the G7 members are high income, developed and industrialized countries. According to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), stabilization of greenhouse gases, including CH4, concentrations in the atmosphere is required to combat the global climate change problem. CH4 emission has local, regional and global negative effects on the environment, human and living things. The critical function of the improved management of municipal solid waste is to reduce problems associated with local waste pollution, and to switch CH4 emission to CO 2 emissions through energy generation facilities. In the waste management hierarchy, refuse, reduction, reuse, recycle, and recovery is recommended for sustainable consumption and production (SCP) patterns in developed and developing countries. No clear evidence exists for the transition to SCP patterns in developed countries, particularly for the G7. This study uses the Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) hypotheses-the inverted U-shape between income and environmental pollution-to obtain empirical evidence for the G7 countries. It examines CH4 emissions per capita from solid waste and GDP per capita for these countries between 1960 and 2016 using a panel data analysis technique. The study concludes that there is no evidence for the traditional EKC hypothesis for the G7 countries. It observed an inverted N-shaped curve between CH4 emissions per capita and GDP per capita. The study recommends that increasing GDP per capita should be aligned with strong policies for the transformation of countries in sustainable practices and patterns of consumption and production. (C) 2020 Institution of Chemical Engineers. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.