ABSTRACT

Despite the scientific consensus that humans have dramatically altered the global environment, we still have a limited knowledge of the specific forces driving these impacts. This study aims at estimating the impact of some drivers of Carbon dioxide and Methane gas emissions using a balanced panel data for 15 West African countries, the robust STIRPAT framework, the Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) estimation and the Random Effect Modeling methods (REM). The R program and gretl Statistical Software are used in simulating the variables in the stochastic models. This study demonstrates that population environmental (climate) impact differs considerably across age-groups in West Africa. Population in the working age groups 35-49 and 50-69 exert a negative influence as regards Carbon dioxide emission. while the younger Population aged 0-14 and 20-34 exert considerable impact as regards Methane emission but the aged population 70+ have a lesser impact on the emission of both gases. Further, the concepts of Ecological Elasticity (EE) and Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) are employed in estimating the quadratic version of the models derived from the STIRP AT framework. A potential EKC exists for Urbanization than for Affluence (i.e. Gross Domestic Product Per Capita) implying that growth in Affiuence may not translate to a quality environment in West Africa however the reverse is the case for Methane emission