Title: Nonlinear Effects of Trade in Services on Carbon Emissions in Türkiye: A Case Study Analysis of the Tourism and Transportation Sectors in Istanbul, Antalya, and Cappadocia
Authors: Bui Ngoc Tu
Volume: 10
Issue: 7
Pages: 432-439
Publication Date: 2026/07/28
Abstract:
Trade in services has been identified as a significant driver of environmental quality in emerging economies, yet the nonlinear and sector-specific mechanisms through which it operates remain poorly understood. This paper employs a qualitative multiple case study methodology to investigate how tourism and transportation-related trade in services affects carbon dioxide (CO?) emissions across three of Türkiye's most prominent destinations - Istanbul, Antalya, and Cappadocia. Drawing on corporate sustainability disclosures, institutional policy documents, and secondary empirical evidence, this study identifies a critical paradox: at the aggregate level, trade in services reduces CO? in Türkiye across all time horizons (consistent with Abozriba & Khalifa, 2026), yet at the destination level, mass tourism generates substantial carbon burdens through aviation, accommodation energy consumption, and ground transportation. The paper finds that this nonlinearity is modulated by three key institutional variables: the quality of sustainable tourism governance, investment in green hospitality infrastructure, and the modal composition of tourist arrivals. Cross-case synthesis yields three actionable policy lessons applicable to Vietnam's rapidly expanding tourism sector, including sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) mandates, GSTC certification incentives, and digital-enabled low-carbon tourism product development.