Renewable and nonrenewable energy consumption, real GDP and CO2 emissions nexus: a structural VAR approach in Pakistan

Any rise in real GDP crafts higher energy demand in Pakistan. This short-term rising energy requirement is fulfilled with the help of nonrenewable and renewable energy consumption, but nonrenewable energy consumption adds more in it. The rise in nonrenewable energy consumption lifts real GDP up in short-run. Forecast error variance decomposition illustrates nonrenewable energy consumption alone passes 87% variation in the CO2 emissions. This verifies fossil fuels are accountable for environmental degradation in Pakistan. The CO2 emissions worsen economic activity, real GDP falls but renewable energy consumption augments. This elevation in renewable energy consumption is the proof of stabilization efforts that are being initiated by official authorities as CO2 emissions reach to alarming level. The rise in renewable energy consumption boosts economic activity, and real GDP breeds. Most of times, an increase in renewable energy consumption is an effort to substitute it with nonrenewable energy consumption, resulting in lower level of CO2 emissions.Energy Consumption, Real GDP, CO2 Emissions

Effect of financial development on agricultural growth in Pakistan: new extensions from bounds test to level relationships and granger causality tests

This study investigates the relationship between financial development and agriculture growth employing Cobb-Douglas function which incorporates financial development as an important factor of production for the period 1971-2011. The ARDL bounds testing approach to cointegration is applied to examine long run relationship between the variables. The direction of causality is detected by VACM Granger causality test and robustness of causality results is tested through innovative accounting approach (IAA). Our findings confirm that the variables are cointegrated for equilibrium long run relationship between agriculture growth, financial development, capital and labor. The results indicate that financial development has a positive effect on agricultural growth. This implies that financial development plays its significant role in stemming agricultural production and hence agricultural growth. The capital use in the agriculture sector also contributes to the agricultural growth. The Granger causality analysis reveals bidirectional causality between agricultural growth and financial development. The robustness of these results is confirmed by innovative accounting approach (IAA). This study has important policy implications for policy making authorities to stimulate agricultural growth by improving the efficiency of financial sector.Agriculture Growth, Financial Development, Cointegration

Does defence spending impede economic growth? cointegration and causality analysis for Pakistan

This study revisits the relationship between defence spending and economic growth using Keynesian model in Pakistan by applying ARDL bounds testing approach to cointegration for long run and error correction method for short span of time. Empirical evidence suggests a stable cointegration relationship between defence spending and economic growth. An increase in defence spending retards the pace of economic growth confirming the validation of Keynesian hypothesis in the country. Current economic growth is positively linked with economic growth in previous period while rise in nonmilitary expenditures boosts economic growth. Interest rate is inversely associated with economic growth. Finally, unidirectional causality running from military spending to economic growth is found.Defence Spending, Economic Growth, Cointegration, Causality, Pakistan

War on Terror: Do Military Measures Matter? Empirical Analysis of Post 9/11 Period in Pakistan

This paper is the first attempt to investigate the causal relationship between military spending, terrorist attacks and intensity of terrorism in Pakistan, by applying ARDL approach to cointegration and Innovation Accounting approach for causality analysis. The results indicate that war on terror is the major determinant of military spending followed by terrorism intensity and the number of terrorist attacks respectively. The study further finds that terrorism intensity and terrorist attacks Granger-cause military spending but the reverse causality is found absent. The failure of military measures to curtail terrorism and its intensity induces one to suggest greater involvement of civil intelligence agencies by raising their budgets instead of pure military budget.Causality Analysis; Military Spending; Civil Intelligence; Terrorism

Modelling the Relationship between Whole Sale Price and Consumer Price Indices: Cointegration and Causality Analysis for India

In this study we attempted to analyze the static and dynamic causality between producers’ prices measured by WPI and consumers’ prices measured by CPI in the context of India. We did our analysis in the framework of time series and for analysis, we applied ARDL bounds testing approach to cointegration and robustness of ARDL approach is examined through Johansen and Juselius (1990) maximum likelihood approach over the period of 1950-2009. We found the evidence of bidirectional causality between WPI and CPI in both cases i.e., in the short-run and long-run. Furthermore, outside sample forecast analysis reveals that in India, WPI leads CPI. This implies that WPI is determined by market forces and also a leading indicator of consumers’ prices and inflation. This gives an indication to the Indian policy analysts to control for factors affecting WPI in order to have control on CPI since CPI is used for indexation purposes for many wage and salary earners including government employees and hence it will be helpful in cutting down the excess government expenditure