Analysis of the efficiency of African countries through their Ecological Footprint and Biocapacity

Abstract

Population inequality and climate change are two of the factors that are most disruptive to the ecological balance; accordingly, there have been countless studies in recent years focusing on analysing the Ecological Footprint (EF) and Biocapacity (BC). The markedly disparate characteristics of African countries have motivated the choice of this geographic area as the focus of the research. First, this study uses Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) to calculate the efficiency of 45 African countries, taking their EF and country size as determinants of the level of production. Second, the effect of time on EF and BC is analysed using Ordinary Least Squares estimation, in order to determine possible trends in both variables and to draw conclusions that indicate the most appropriate environmental policies to adopt. The results reveal similar efficiency levels between one group of countries with ecological deficits and another with ecological surpluses. Also, the countries that have a deficit in terms of BC, but a level of resource consumption appropriate to their production volume, need to introduce technological advances that foster sustainable economic development, helping them to adapt to their existing BC. In addition, by incorporating innovative technologies, these countries should be able to transform their existing overpopulation problem into a potential labour force that fosters their sustainable growth.

Keywords: Africa; Biocapacity; Ecological Footprint; Efficiency.