The influence of electricity production, permanent cropland, high technology exports, and health expenditures on air pollution in Latin America and the Caribbean Countries

The objective of the study is to examine the dynamic linkages among electricity production from renewable sources, permanent cropland, high technology exports, health expenditures, and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions in the panel of 14 selected Latin America and the Caribbean countries, over the period of 1980-2013. The study employed panel unit root test, panel cointegration, panel least square, panel fixed effect model, panel random effect model, and panel two stage least square (2SLS) instrumental variables technique for robust inferences. The results confirmed the long-run relationship between the variables. The panel results indicate the effectiveness of high-technology exports that decreases the CO2 emissions, while electricity production, permanent cropland and health expenditures increase CO2 emissions, which deteriorates the environment. The study concludes with the support of long-term sustainable policies, which is imperative for sound growth in a panel of countries.