The Effect of Nuclear Energy Use and Military Expenditures on The Formation of The Environmental Kuznets Curve: A Study for BRICS Countries

The Environmental Kuznets Model examines the relationship between per capita income level and environmental quality. This study aims to estimate the current Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) model, which considers military expenditures and foreign direct investments in Brazil, China, India, Russia, and South Africa, with a focus on countries that produce nuclear energy. In this regard, the data for these countries from 1992 to 2020 were subjected to econometric analysis. Three control variables -carbon emissions per capita, GDP per capita, and the share of nuclear energy in total energy consumption -were used in the econometric model. According to the findings, the EKC in these countries is U-shaped. The study also aims to fill the gap in the literature by estimating the EKC model that considers the military expenditures and foreign direct investments of countries producing nuclear energy.