Abstract
In Hungary, successive steps have been taken toward adjusting GHG emissions from all sectors on a national scale. However, few studies were carried out to analyze the environmental dimensions of GHG emissions from an economic point of view. In this research, the contemporary changes of GHG emissions between 1985 and 2018 were analyzed using the Mann-Kendall test (M-K test); along with the interaction between GHG emissions and economic growth by applying the environmental Kuznets curve (EKC). Results showed that the industrial sector has been the main source of CO2-emitting, and contributed 72% of the total emissions. Meanwhile, the biggest CH4-emitting sector was the waste sector (44%), followed by the agricultural sector (39%). Nonetheless, the agricultural sector was responsible for more than 65% of N2O emissions over Hungary. The M-K test results showed that total CO2 emissions were reduced significantly (p < 0.05) by -1001 thousand tonnes/year. Similarly, the total N2O emissions were subject to a significant decrease (p < 0.05) of -0.31 thousand tonnes/year. Interestingly, the long-run positive significant coefficient on income growth (GDP), and negative significance on (GDP)(2) indicate EKC's existence for CO2 emission, CH4, and N2O in Hungary, revealing that GHG emissions will increase at a decreasing rate with economic growth in Hungary. The output of this research is useful for decisionmakers to consider the environmental dimensions of GHG emissions and set priorities for minimizing emissions by sectors.