In creating a sustainable development strategy, the balance between economic growth and environmental protection is of crucial importance. To achieve the balance, it is essential to determine the direction and form of the relationship between the environment and development. Although environmental factors occur as a side effect of economic, social, and demographic indicators, they also affect these indicators. Particularly, it does not seem possible to design a quality development and development process without monitoring the individual, institutional, and social outcomes of the economic, financial, social, and demographic effects of environmental pollution and climate change that have emerged in recent times.  In this context, determining how environmental factors influence and are influenced by other indicators can guide policy decisions. This study's purpose is to examine the factors affecting environmental pollution in perspective developed and developing countries. Carbon dioxide emissions, commonly used as an indicator of environmental pollution in the literature, were utilized in the study.  The study utilized data from selected 62 developed and developing countries for the period of 2009-2020. Indicators affecting CO2 emissions were examined using the dynamic panel data analysis method. While the study considered indicators such as per capita income, energy intensity, high-technology exports, and population, it also included a dummy variable for the COVID-19 period when global economic activities were disrupted, and its impact on CO2 emissions during that period was investigated. The findings indicate that the way CO2 emissions are affected by indicators differs between advanced and developing countries.