Biodiversity and growth in Colombia, 1995–2015: an approach from the environmental kuznets hypothesis

The literature that studied the ratio between economy and environment has been concerned with contrasting the Environmental Kuznets Curve hypothesis (EKC). Traditionally, environmental degradation has been measured through some ‘proxy’ of air pollution (CO₂, for example). This paper contrasts the EKC hypothesis validity for Colombia, in the period 1995–2015; but, unlike traditional studies, biodiversity was taken as an environmental damage variable, which is calculated from the endangered species total number. The per capita income, the GINI coefficient, the environmental performance index of Yale University (EPI) and the literacy rate were included as explanatory variables. The results show that the EKC hypothesis is not met for Colombia in the estimated period. It is possible to conclude that the relationship between the environment and economic growth is context depend.