Abstract:We investigate the impact of urbanisation on CO 2 emissions by applying the Stochastic Impacts by Regression on Population, Affluence and Technology (STIRPAT) in the case of Malaysia over the period of 1970Q1-2011Q4. Empirically, after testing the integrating properties of the variables using unit root test, we applied the Bayer-Hanck combined cointegration approach to examine the cointegration relationship between the variables. Further, we tested the robustness of long-run relationship in the presence of structural breaks using ARDL bounds testing approach. The causal relationship between the variables is investigated by applying the VECM Granger causality test. Our results validate the existence of cointegration in the presence of structural breaks. The empirical results exposed that economic growth is a major contributor to CO 2 emissions. Besides, energy consumption raises emissions intensity and capital stock boosts energy consumption. Trade openness leads affluence and hence increases CO 2 emissions. More importantly, we find that the relationship between urbanisation and CO 2 emissions is U-shaped i.e. urbanisation initially reduces CO 2 emissions, but after a threshold level, it increases CO 2 emissions. The causality analysis suggests that the urbanization Granger causes CO 2 emissions.

Street food vending is a prevailing and distinctive part of a large informal sector in Dhaka city, the capital of Bangladesh. The paper attempts to gain insight into the business of street food vendors: highlight the problem areas and identify some key factors that positively affect their sales revenue. Using factor analysis as a tool, four major problem areas for the street food vendors have been identified. The problem areas are related to business operation, business knowledge, extortion, and product and production. Through regression analysis, it has been found that business experience, and initial capital is two key factors that positively affect sales revenue. Formal education, however, does not have any significant impact on business performance. The paper also comes to the conclusion that lack of security and problems in the supply of raw materials are two major problems as perceived by the vendors.

This paper revisits the relationship between financial development and economic growth in Bangladesh by incorporating trade openness in production function using quarter frequency data over the period of 1976-2012. We applied combined Bayer-Hanck cointegration to examine cointegration amongst variables in the presence of structural breaks. The results show that financial development facilitates economic growth but capitalization impedes it. In addition, trade openness stimulates economic growth. Labour is also positively linked with economic growth. The causality analysis reveals the feedback effect between financial development and economic growth. Trade and labour Granger cause economic growth. This paper provides new insights for policy making authorities to use financial development and trade openness as tool to sustain economic growth in long run. This paper also suggests policy makers to utilise capitalization in proper way to sustain economic growth for long run.