• Energy Research

AbstractElectricity consumption is a crucial factor in the environmental pollution process, and therefore, its impact needs to be carefully considered by policymakers. This study investigates the relationship between energy consumption, electricity generation, natural resource utilization, and environmental pollution in BRICS nations, which have a substantial share in global resource consumption. To this end, we employed a novel methodology, namely the Method of Moment Quantile Regression (MMQR), for the time period between 1990 and 2018, within the framework of the Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) theory. The study's outcome shows that natural resources and renewable energy are efficacious and significant in curbing environmental degradation among the sample countries. The investigation reveals a positive correlation between electricity consumption and environmental degradation, thereby highlighting this vital resource's role in exacerbating the BRICS nations’ ecological footprint. The findings from this research can provide crucial insights for policymakers to achieve sustainable development and carbon neutrality in these countries.

Environmental degradation poses a severe threat to life on earth. Similarly to other countries, emerging seven (E‐7) countries have been struggling to decrease their dependence on non‐renewable energy sources by adopting environment friendly technologies for reducing environmental deterioration and to achieve sustainable development goals (SDGs) of the United Nations. In present study, we reassessed the technological policies of E‐7 countries, and addressed the issues of affordable and clean energy, institutional quality (IQU), and sustained economic growth (EGR) to address the problem of environmental deterioration. For this purpose, we have investigated the role of renewable energy consumption (REC), technological innovations (TINs), IQU, and EGR on CO2 emissions (CE) by using the panel quantile regression (PQR) for the period from 1996 to 2020. The empirical outcomes of FGLS reveal that a 1% increase in REC, TIN, and IQU reduces the CE by 0.145%, 0.233%, and 0.249%, while a 1% rise in EGR and population (POPU) raises the CE by 0.993% and 1.546% respectively. Similarly, the results of PQR demonstrate that REC, TIN, and IQU reduce CE, whereas EGR and POPU increase environmental degradation. The impact of TIN on CE is high at lower quantiles and low at higher quantiles. The impact of IQU on CE is low at lower quantiles and high at higher quantiles Based on these findings, we have recommended a comprehensive SDG‐oriented policy framework, so that E‐7 countries can make progress towards achieving the objectives of SDG 16, SDG 13, SDG 7, SDG 8, and SDG 9.

An increase in energy consumption indicates increased economic activity; whether it leads to prosperity depends on the sustainability and stability of the energy source. This study has selected the top ten highly carbon emitting countries to assess renewable energy consumption dynamics for 1991 to 2018. The development of renewable energy ventures is not an overnight transformation. Further, it also entails an infrastructure development gestation which may increase CO2 emissions for the short term. To assess this non-linear pattern with CO2 and its heterogeneities, renewable energy consumption and its three types (Wind, Solar and Hydropower) are used. The empirical results estimated with a pooled mean group (PMG) method indicate that renewable energy consumption and hydropower follows inverted U-shaped behavior, with wind and solar energy consumption behavior also U-shaped. Forest area and patents are responsible for carbon remissions, while economic growth is responsible for increasing carbon emissions in sampled countries.

In terms of attaining the objectives of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the Asian economies are considered as laggards, and one of the major problems faced by these economies is the issue of environmental degradation. For addressing this pertaining issue, a policy-level reorientation might be necessary. In this view, this study aims to explore the impact of urbanization, renewable energy consumption, financial development, agriculture, and economic growth on CO2 emissions in 15 Asian economies over 1990–2014. The empirical evidence demonstrates that urbanization, financial development, and economic growth increase CO2 emissions, renewable energy consumption reduces CO2 emissions, and the impact of agriculture is insignificant. Impulse response function and variance decomposition techniques are used to test the causality among the variables. Based on the study outcomes, a comprehensive SDG-oriented policy framework has been recommended, so that these economies can make progression toward attaining the objectives of SDG 13 and SDG 7. This study contributed to the literature by recommending this SDG-oriented policy framework, which encapsulates economic growth and its drivers.

Abstract Transportation infrastructure is a pillar of economic development as well as a main contributor to climate change. Therefore, it is necessary to transform the transport sector investment into climate-resilient, low-carbon transportation choices in order to achieve sustainable transportation infrastructure. In case of China, this transformation might be necessary from the perspective of the “New-style Urbanization” strategy, and for fulfilling this strategy, policy realignment is required. To address this policy-level void in the literature, we explore the influence of public private partnerships investment in transport sector, renewable energy consumption, urbanization on transport-induced carbon emissions in China. For this purpose, we apply Quantile Autoregressive Distributed Lagged (QARDL) method during 1990Q1-2018Q4. Based on the results of the study, a multipronged sustainable development goal (SDG) framework has been suggested, under which SDG 11, SDG 13, and SDG 8 are addressed, while using SDG 17 as a vehicle.

Since the United Nations endorsed the sustainable development goals in 2015, emerging economies have faced several issues in meeting the objectives set by the sustainable development goals. Environmental degradation is one of the main issues faced by emerging countries. To overcome this issue and for attaining sustainable development goals, this study is the earliest attempt to examine the asymmetric influence of economic policy uncertainty, renewable energy consumption, and technological innovations on load capacity factor under the framework of the load capacity curve for E-7 countries during 1996–2019. The preliminary tests confirm the absence of data normality; hence, we use panel quantile regression. The findings of the study reveal the presence of a U-shaped load capacity curve hypothesis in E-7 countries including China, Indonesia, Russia, Brazil, Mexico, India, and Turkey. This finding depicts that at an earlier stage, gross domestic product has an adverse influence on environmental quality but after achieving its threshold level, a further increase in gross domestic product growth becomes helping to boost environmental quality. An increase in economic policy uncertainty leads to a decrease in load capacity factor while renewable energy consumption has a favorable impact on load capacity factor to enhance environmental quality. The negative impact of technological innovation is that prevailing technology patterns are not environmentally supportive. Relying on these empirical outcomes current study recommends significant policy measures to achieve the targets of sustainable development goals including SDG 07, SDG 08, SDG 09, and SDG 13 as renewable energy, economic growth, innovations, and climate action, respectively, in E-7 economies.

Environmental degradation is one of the most debatable topics at international forums and it is considered a prime concern for the entire world. Therefore, researchers and policymakers have turned their attention from conventional economic growth to green growth. Although the existing literature has discussed several determinants of green growth, the impact of economic policy uncertainty (EPU), renewable energy consumption (RENE), and institutional quality (IQ) on green growth (GGDP) is relatively unexplored. Hence, this study is the earliest attempt to investigate the impact of EPU, IQ, and RENE on GGDP for emerging seven (E-7) countries from 1996 to 2019. In doing so, we apply panel quantile regression (PQR). The empirical findings delineate that EPU has a negative impact on GGDP, whereas IQ and RENE enhance the GGDP in E-7 countries. Based on the outcomes, this study suggests policy implications for achieving targets of the SDG 07, SDG 08, SDG 13, and SDG 16. The governments of these countries can achieve higher GGDP by ensuring political stability and reliable macroeconomic policies and through making such flexible policies that can easily control or address unpredictable future economic issues.

AbstractGlobal warming, climate disruptions, and environmental challenges are significant concerns in the present era, placing socioeconomic burdens on nations globally as humanity progresses at an unprecedented pace. In this framework, the load capacity factor (LCF) has evolved to demonstrate the environment‐damaging behavior of the population and nature's reaction to such damage. Thus, improving LCF by economies has become crucial for attaining the sustainable development goals (SDGs). In doing so, the current study scrutinizes the influence of geopolitical risk (GPR), economic policy uncertainty (EPU), economic growth (EG), renewable energy consumption (REC), natural resource rent (NRR), and financial development (FD) on LCF in BRICST economies during 1990–2020. We use the panel quantile regression (PQR) technique for empirical outcomes. The PQR technique can capture the heterogeneous role of explanatory factors. The empirical results of the PQR method validate the U‐shaped LCC hypothesis through the non‐linear evaluation of EG and LCF. Furthermore, results reveal that GPR, EPU, and FD adversely affect environmental quality. However, REC and NRR's supportive role in improving LCF is found. Keeping in view these empirical results, the study suggests an extensive policy framework for attaining the objectives of SDG 13 (climate change), SDG 08 (decent work and economic growth ), SDG 16 (peace for sustainable development), SDG 12 (responsible consumption and production), and SDG 07 (clean energy) in BRICST economies.