Zahra Fotourehchi - Department of Economics, University of Mohaghegh Ardabili, Ardabil, Iran

Abstract This research has aimed to examine the feedback effects between economic growth and environmental degradation through health that is one of human capital elements and also the consequences of such these relationships on economic convergence process during the period ۱۹۹۰-۲۰۱۳ for ۶۰ developing countries in framework of simultaneous equations model by using unbalanced panel data analysis. This requires analyzing the interrelationships between economic growth, health, and environmental degradation. The results show the positive direct feedback effects between economic growth and health status, also positive indirect and reverse direct feedback effects between economic growth and environmental degradation. Although economic growth increases environmental degradation, sustaining the convergence process of developing countries and reaching the environmental Kuznets curve to turning point of CO۲ emission represent stronger indirect feedback effects between economic growth and environmental degradation than direct feedback effects.

Keywords:Economic Growth, Environmental Degradation, Health, convergence, Sustainability JEL Classification: I۱۰, Q۵۶