Testing Porter and pollution haven hypothesis via economic variables and CO2 emissions: a cross-country review with panel quantile regression method

Nowadays, determining the factors influencing carbon dioxide emissions is a crucial issue for policymakers. So, this study examines Porter and pollution haven's hypothesis via foreign direct investment, financial development, and energy consumption in 14 countries of the MENA region during 2004-2016, using panel quantile regression that estimated the impact of these factors in quantiles of 0.1, 0.25, 0.5, 0.75, and 0.9. Also, the effect of population, trade openness, and economic growth variables has been investigated as controlling variables on CO2 emissions. The results of the research show that the impact of energy consumption, economic growth, and total population on all quantiles of carbon dioxide emission is positive and significant. Still, the effect of direct foreign investment on the amount of CO2 emissions is negative and only significant at 0.1, 0.5, and 0.75 quantiles, which supports Porter's hypothesis. Based on this hypothesis, the foreign direct investment entrance helps reduce the environmental pollution of the host country. Also, the effect of financial development on 0.25, 0.5, 0.75, and 0.9 quantile carbon dioxide emissions is negative and significant. Finally, the trade openness variable has a positive and significant effect on the quantiles of 0.1 and 0.9 CO2 emissions.