An Empirical Study of the Environmental Kuznets Curve in Sichuan Province

The empirical Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) literature is colorful but far from conclusive. The environmental Kuznets hypothesis (EKC) confirms an inverse U-shaped relationship between environmental pollution and per capita income. Many authors have analyzed the existence of an EKC for various pollutants. Others have used the EKC framework to identify country characteristics that help to explain the income–environment relationship. But for a local area, such as a province, studies are rare indeed. In this framework, based on the GDP per capita and emissions of industrial waste from 1985 to 2010 in Sichuan Province, China, the relationship is analyzed using regression between economic development and environment in Sichuan Province. Our evidence suggests that there exists a U-shaped or an inverted N-shaped relationship between environmental pollution and economic development in Sichuan Province, that is to say, the environmental Kuznets hypothesis is invalid in Sichuan Province. There are two possible reasons for this conclusion: firstly, KEC curve will not appear at any level of the economic development in Sichuan Province; secondly, the Environmental Kuznets Curve in Sichuan Province exists objectively, but the economic development in Sichuan Province at current stage is not sufficient enough to promote the appearance of KEC curve. However, more attention must be paid to the relation between environmental pollution and per capit