CO2 emissions analysis for East European countries: the role of underlying emission trend

Scholars warn that wealth leads to unsustainable environmental development. However, over the last decades, studies have shown an increase in environmental degradation at the initial stage of economic growth, and then a decline when economic growth reaches a certain level. This first acceleration and then deceleration create an inverted U-shaped curve between pollution and economic growth, called the environmental Kuznets curve (EKC). Environmental degradation can be measured by different factors. This paper deals with two of them, i.e. energy consumption and energy intensity (EI). The latter is measured as the ratio between energy consumption and GDP. The relationship of energy consumption and intensity to economic growth can serve as a tool for examining whether an EKC exists. The paper presents continuous series of energy consumption energy intensity and gross domestic product for the Norwegian mainland economy 1835–2019. The series are used to examine the possible existence of relative and absolute environmental Kuznets curves (EKC). Time series are established using available data and annual figures for 1835–2019, which are presented for the first time. They depict a development that, first, reflects an almost constant downward trend in EI, and, second, the existence of EKCs. The paper also proposes a polynomial regression model to discuss the relationship between environmental degradation as measured by energy consumption and intensity on the one hand, and economic growth on the other. It is concluded that there are both relative and absolute EKC-relations between environmental degradation and economic growth, with 1975 as relative and 2002 as absolute turning point.

The article deals with a current trend of the global energy market, which is characterized by rising tension in relations between the performers of the energy market regulation mechanisms, and it leads to the emergence of alternative energy sources. The article is called to identify the causes of renewable energy markets nascence, to make comparative description of Ukrainian and European Renewable Energy Markets attractiveness, and to characterize the state policy change in a renewable energy market. Different interpretation of nature and classification of the field of renewable energy in foreign and Ukrainian approaches shows the problem of legal criteria of renewable energy markets regulation. It is proved the existence of double barrier penetration of the European market for renewable energy for Ukrainian companies, which includes compliance with the accepted EU Directives and compliance with the Rules of each member individually. The presence of clearly defined standards and certificates of quality for the European market allows producers to show the competitiveness of Ukrainian products in the international market and stimulate Ukrainian manufacturers. The presence of clearly formulated laws, stable and balanced political and legal environment of the EU allows Ukrainian producers of renewable energy to develop such a strategy that considers the time factor, as the primary parameter of competitiveness in international business. The market of solid biofuels in EU is under formation, its development timeframe and uncertainty of environmental risks becoming is especially important for Ukrainian producers.

Credit unions increase social orientation and efficiency of the market economy by providing their members with necessary financial services on a non-profit basis. Unfortunately, the role of credit cooperation is underestimated in Ukraine. The article investigates factors, condition and prospects for the credit unions’ development as an important component of Ukrainian economy. Both optimistic and pessimistic scenarios of credit unions’ development in Ukraine have been provided based on forecasts involving methods of analytical equalization of dynamic series, correlation and regression analysis and extrapolation. Analysis of the main indicators of credit unions’ activity in Ukraine between 2004 and 2016 made it possible to detect that between 2008 (when indicators were the highest) and 2016 there was a downward trend in the number of credit unions (by 41%), membership (by 76%), total assets (by 66.5%), deposit and loan portfolios (by 79 and 68%, respectively) with a relative stability of capital ratio (by 39%). Creating a cooperative cluster which will be able to combine the material, monetary and labor resources of all major types of cooperatives in the country at the regional level has been outlined as one of the means to increase the credit unions competitiveness in Ukraine. Therefore, the purpose of the article is to assess the state and forecast trends in the development of credit unions in Ukraine in order to identify the prospects for their functioning in the future.