Investigation of the Relationship between Economic Growth, Trade Openness and Environmental Pollution: A Review of Selected Countries in the Middle East

Trade openness، economic growth and environment are known as the major issues inrecent decads. We considered the effect of expanding trade and economic growth onenvironmental quality for 11 country in the Middle East during the period of 1980 to2010. Panel data econometric method and STATA software were used. Econometrictests confirmed fixed effects model among the pooled، fixed and random effectsmodels. Each Arellano-Bond GMM regression model and Newey- West with 5 lagsallowed were estimated beacuase of dynamic panel data and their results werecompared with the results of fixed effects model and then were evaluated. We foundper capita income has a significant positive impact on environmental pollution butfurther rise in income will reduce environmental pollution. Trade openness hasnegative effect and there is a non-significant effect on environmental pollution.