Industrial sector and PM2.5 emissions in the world's major economies
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.18487454Keywords:
fossil fuels, air pollution, random effects, renewable energy, panelAbstract
Air pollution is one of the most pressing problems facing urban populations and the most industrialized countries. The sources of PM2.5 emissions come primarily from industry. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of industrial sector size on PM2.5 emissions in the world's major economies using panel data regression using the generalized least squares method with robust standard errors. The panel included 11 countries: Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Japan, Mexico, the United States, Russia, and the United States; and a 14-year period from 1998 to 2011. The results suggest that a 1% increase in the industrial sector's growth rate is associated with a 0.887% change in the level of air pollution measured by PM2.5. Decarbonization, reducing dependence on fossil fuels, and transitioning toward clean energy consumption can reduce industrial emissions and the negative effects on people's health, the environment, and the economy.
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