Analysing the role of environment-related technologies and carbon emissions in emerging economies: a step towards sustainable development

The role of electric vehicles and eco-friendly technologies in reducing CO2 emissions.

Renewable energy, carbon emission and economic growth: A revised environmental Kuznets Curve perspective

The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) provides a platform for developing countries with huge growth potentials, which may also face huge carbon emission pressure while achieving rapid economic growth. Given certain similarities in economic patterns and resource endowments, this study aims to trace carbon emission decoupling and decomposition of different countries/regions within the Belt and Road area and provide new insights into the drivers of carbon emission decoupling from both production- and consumption-based perspectives. Based on the multi-regional input-output modelling and Tapio decoupling decomposition, this study quantitatively analyzes the decoupling evolution and decomposition drivers of economic activities and carbon emissions in countries along the Belt and Road. From the results, the production-based carbon emissions of the Belt and Road countries was significantly higher than the consumption-based carbon emissions. The increasing rate in the production-based carbon emissions was also faster than the consumption-based one, with an increasing huge gap between the two sides. Regarding the spatial distribution of carbon emissions, the regions with huge amounts of carbon emissions mainly distributed in Russia, Iran, South Korea, and Saudi Arabia. When compared, the consumption-based carbon emissions of China and Russia were the highest, followed by those of the countries in Central Asia and West Asia. Compared with the production-based side, the decoupling rate of the Belt and Road countries was slower than the consumption-based one. The Belt and Road countries mainly maintained in the weak decoupling status, with the economic effect as the main driver in carbon emission growth, and the energy intensity effect as the dominated contributor in carbon emission reduction. Through exploring the decoupling and decomposition of production- and consumption-based carbon emissions within the Belt and Road countries, this study attempts to provide certain implications for the low-carbon transition and sustainable development within the countries along the Belt and Road.

For every country around the world, it is the foremost preference to mitigate the negative effects of environment and promote environmental sustainability without hindering economic growth. In doing so, government utilized environmental friendly policies that promote environmental related technological innovations. Strict and good environmental policies will encourage peoples to adopt environmental friendly technologies and diminish the environmental threatens. So, this study was under taken to explore the role of environmental stringency policy and environmental related technologies on carbon emissions in G7 economies by utilizing panel data from 1990 to 2024. With the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to investigate the efficiency of environmental stringency policy along with environmental related technologies on carbon emissions in G7 economies. For this purpose, the study utilized PMG-Autoregressive Distributed Lag method. The study finds out negative effects of environmental stringency policy and environmental related technologies on carbon emissions. This indicate that, strict and good environmental policies will encourage peoples to adopt environmental friendly technologies and diminish the environmental threatens. Further, the study supports the existence of EKC hypothesis in G7 economies with the positive effects of GDP and negative effects of GDP2 on carbon emissions. This indicates the inverted – U-Shaped relationship between GDP and carbon emissions. Moreover, research and development have also reducing carbon emissions with its negative role. Conversely, FDI increase carbon emissions with its negative influence on carbon emissions. For causal association among considered parameters, the study applied Panel Granger Causality Test and confirms that there exists bidirectional relationship among considered parameters. Moreover, for the validity and reliability of the PMG-ARDL findings, the study also utilized Fully Modified Ordinary Least Square (FMOLS) and Dynamic Ordinary Least Square (DOLS) and findings confirm that, the PMG-ARDL findings are robust, valid and reliable. On the basis of the empirical findings, the study has sizeable policy implications regarding the considered economies. It is suggested that, the governments of G7 economies should specifically work to modify all relevant laws and provide subsidies for initiatives like the adoption of green practices in order to encourage environmental sustainability and environmental related technologies.

Adverse consequences are observed in developing countries due to the impact of the globalization process. Therefore, our study aims to empirically verify whether globalization escalates carbon dioxide emissions in selected N-11 (next-11) countries between 1990 and 2019. The study also analyzes how per capita GDP, per capita GDP2, population growth, and renewable energy consumption affect carbon emissions. For this reason, the researchers used several econometric methods, including the slope homogeneity test, the cross-sectional dependency test, the panel unit root test, the panel cointegration test, the method of moment’s panel quantile regression analysis, and the Wald test. The estimated results of panel quantile regression show how carbon emissions change across a range of quantiles (0.1 to 0.9). The findings show that per capita GDP significantly impacts the overabundance of carbon emissions in N-11 countries. Over time, the study found that the positive coefficient value of per capita GDP decreased from the first to the last (7.41 to 5.87), leading to the validation of the EKC hypothesis. The adverse correlation between per capita GDP2 and environmental contamination confirms that the Environmental Kuznets Curve hypothesis is valid for selected N-11 countries. Globalization deteriorates the environment by directly affecting CO2 emissions. It increases monotonically from the lower quantile to the upper quantile (0.972 to 1.002). At the quantile level of 0.1 to 0.9, population growth and renewable energy consumption increase impede carbon dioxide emissions in these selected countries. Coefficient values in the quantile 0.1 to 0.9 (-0.35 to -0.53) suggest that governments can reduce carbon emissions more due to renewable energy consumption over time. But the negative coefficient values of the population (-0.97, -0.93, -0.90, -0.88, -0.86, -0.85, -0.83, -0.81, and -0.77) decrease from the lower quantile to the upper quantile. The Wald test supports the asymmetric effects of different quantiles. As a robustness check of estimators, the study used FMOLS, DOLS, and CCR, which show the variables’ long-run elasticity. The research developed targeted policy recommendations for sustainably mitigating carbon emissions based on the above results.

The digital economy isconsidered important to achieve carbon peaking and carbon neutrality. This paper explores the impact of the digital economy on carbon emissions and renewable energy development using panel data for 67 countriesfrom 2005-2019. The results show that there is an inverted U-shaped relationship between the digital economy and carbon emissions, which is consistent with the Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) hypothesis, and a U-shaped relationship with renewable energy consumption, which is consistent with the Renewable energy Kuznets Curve (RKC) hypothesis. Compared with gross domestic product (GDP), the digital economy is more likely to accelerate the process of energy transition and carbon reduction, which is a key factor for carbon peaking. In addition, it is also found that the turning point of the RKC precedes the EKC, which means that the RKC reaching its turning point is a prerequisite for the corresponding EKC to reach its peak.Therefore, the digital economy should be accelerated to push RKC to cross the turning point as soon as possible, thereby accelerating EKC to cross the turning point.

Faced with increasingly strict carbon emission control, high-emission enterprises need scientific and rational management systems and methods to strengthen carbon emission reduction management. Among the many management systems and methods, the carbon budget has become an effective emission reduction management tool, allowing the planning of carbon emissions and emission reduction activities and rational arrangement of economic inputs. However, judging from the research status and business practices in China and abroad, there is no general carbon budget system to guide the development of carbon emission and emission reduction activities. Based on this background, this paper first attempts to construct an enterprise carbon budget system comprising four sub-budgets: carbon emission, carbon emission reduction and cost, carbon emission rights trading, and carbon emission reduction net profit/loss. It draws on the idea of interactive control to consider the impact of changes in carbon prices, energy prices, and policy guidelines on carbon emission reductions and losses. A carbon budget management system based on interactive control is then constructed and applied to China National Aviation Holding Air China Group (AC Aviation). The research results show that the carbon budget system based on interactive control can dynamically adjust carbon emission reduction behavior based on changes in carbon and energy prices to make carbon budgeting a more viable carbon reduction tool and institutional arrangement.

Research on the relationship between a country’s renewable energy consumption and carbon emissions is of great significance for reducing carbon emissions embodied in international trade. There always exists a gap between production-based and consumption-based carbon emissions. Accordingly, this paper investigates the influence of renewable energy consumption on carbon emission balance, the ratio of production-based emissions to consumption-based emissions, in various countries using the ordinary least square (OLS) method and generalized method of moments (GMM) method. We found that a 1% increase in renewable energy consumption can decrease the carbon emission balance by 5.8%. Furthermore, renewable energy consumption can help narrow the gap between production-based and consumption-based carbon emissions in net emission exporters. In addition, renewable energy consumption can also weaken the negative impact of the global value chains (GVCs) division system on the carbon emission balance. The findings in this study fill the research gap by analyzing the heterogeneous impacts of renewable energy consumption on carbon emission balance embodied within a GVC division system in various countries and provide policy suggestions that renewable energy consumption should be encouraged in net emission exporters to reduce the carbon emission transfers.

This paper examines the longer-term and causal impact of public-private partnership (PPP) investment in energy and technological innovation on consumption-based carbon emissions in Pakistan during the period from 1990 to 2023. This analysis includes important covariates, such as international trade (exports and imports), economic growth (GDP), and renewable energy consumption, to explore the factors influencing Pakistan's carbon emissions. The theoretical lens for the study is based on the Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) theory, which posits that economic growth can initially lead to rising carbon emissions, but stronger long-term technological development and a transition towards renewable energy would turn the tide against environmental degradation. Moreover, Transition Theory emphasizes the importance of PPPs and technological innovation in transitioning Pakistan's energy system from fossil fuels to sustainable energy solutions. By employing advanced estimation techniques, including the Maki cointegration test (1996) that accounts for multiple structural breaks, the research shows that the variables in question are bound in a long-run equilibrium relationship. An export and consumption of renewable energy indicate significantly reduced consumption-based carbon emissions, while more imports, GDP, and (PPP) investment in non- renewable energy positively relates to increased emissions according to results for 182 countries. Overall, the study presents solid empirical proof that trade, technological changes, and a move toward renewable energy can help lower carbon emissions in Pakistan. The authors further recommend the establishment of policies to promote renewable energy investments via PPPs, foster technological progress in low-carbon technologies, implement carbon pricing instruments, such as taxes on energy-intensive goods, and harmonize trade policies to promote low-carbon exports"

Our research explores the nexus between digital finance inclusion, technological innovation, good governance, renewable energy, and carbon neutrality in the top 30 remittance-receiving countries, focusing on the period from 2001 to 2020. Through comprehensive panel data analysis employing SH tests, CSD tests, CADF tests, D-H causality tests, and robustness checks, we investigate the impacts of these factors on carbon emissions. This study uncovers a positive relationship between digital financial inclusion and reduced carbon emissions, suggesting that access to digital finance can significantly lower carbon footprints. This aligns with prior research indicating that digital finance mitigates the need for traditional banking and paper transactions, thus contributing to environmental sustainability. We also find that remittances have a beneficial impact on carbon neutrality efforts, as they often fund investments in clean energy technologies and sustainable development initiatives. However, the expansion of digital financial services has been linked to increased energy consumption and electronic waste, highlighting the complexity of its environmental impact. Furthermore, our findings underscore the critical role of effective governance in achieving carbon emission reduction goals. Countries with transparent, accountable, and efficient governance systems tend to implement ambitious climate policies successfully. Additionally, technological innovation emerges as a pivotal factor in transitioning to a low-carbon economy, with innovation in clean energy technologies playing a significant role in reducing carbon emissions. Our analysis reveals strong positive correlations among digital finance, remittances, technological innovation, good governance, renewable energy, and carbon neutrality. The study suggests several policy recommendations to enhance sustainability and reduce carbon emissions. These include investing in renewable energy, improving governance practices, leveraging digital financial services and remittances for sustainable development, and fostering global collaboration. By implementing these strategies, countries can make significant strides toward environmental sustainability and carbon neutrality. This research contributes valuable insights into the interconnectedness of digital finance, remittances, governance, innovation, renewable energy, and carbon emissions. It offers guidance for policymakers and stakeholders on crafting effective strategies for sustainable economic development and environmental protection, emphasizing the importance of an integrated approach to achieve global carbon neutrality goals.

Achieving carbon neutrality in emerging markets: The dual impact of energy transition investments on economic growth and carbon emissions

This paper, based on an analysis of the environmental Kuznets curve (EKC) for forest quality and carbon emissions in economic systems, explores effective pathways for carbon emission reduction through the symbiosis between forest quality and economic growth. The findings suggest that, without considering forest quality, the overall EKC for China presents an inverted U shape. However, when forest quality is integrated into the model, the overall EKC demonstrates an upward trend, indicating a positive impact on reducing carbon emissions. Geographically, the EKCs in the northwest, northeast, and central-southern regions display an inverted U shape, while those in the north and southwest show a U shape, and the eastern regions exhibit an approximately linear upward curve, reflecting regional disparities in carbon emission trends and environmental management. The synergy between forest quality and economic development significantly contributes to climate change mitigation, with enhancing the carbon emission suppression coefficient of both forest quality and economic systems being the most effective pathway for carbon reduction. The main contribution of this paper lies in the evaluation for forest quality based on entropy weights, and the application of a symbiotic model to analyze the EKC of carbon emissions in relation to forest quality and climate resilience.

The Hu-Bao-O-Yu urban agglomeration is an important energy exporting and high-end chemical base in China, and is an important source of carbon emissions in China. The early achievement of peak carbon emissions in this region is particularly crucial to achieving the national carbon emission reduction targets. However, there is a lack of multi-factor system dynamics analysis of resource-dependent urban agglomerations in Northwest China, as most studies have focused on single or static aspects of developed urban agglomerations. This paper analyses the relationship between carbon emissions and their influencing factors, constructs a carbon emission system dynamics model for the Hu-Bao-O-Yu urban agglomeration, and sets up different single regulation and comprehensive regulation scenarios to simulate and predict the carbon peak time, peak value, and emission reduction potential of each city and urban agglomeration under different scenarios. The results show that: (1) Hohhot and Baotou are expected to reach peak carbon by 2033 and 2031 respectively, under the baseline scenario, while other regions and the urban agglomeration will not be able to reach peak carbon by 2035. (2) Under single regulation scenarios, the effect of factors other than the energy consumption varies across cities, but the energy consumption and environmental protection input are the main factors affecting carbon emissions in the urban agglomeration. (3) A combination of the economic growth, industrial structure, energy policy, environmental protection, and technology investment is the best measure to achieve carbon peaking and enhance the carbon emission reduction in each region as soon as possible. In the future, we need to coordinate the economic development, energy structure optimisation and transformation, low-carbon transformation of industry, strengthen research on carbon sequestration technology, and further increase the investment in environmental protection to make the Hu-Bao-O-Yu urban agglomeration a resource-saving urban agglomeration with an optimal emission reduction.

Developing economies have an urge for development and energy is the lifeline of development. However, the consumption of non-renewable energy resources is emerging as a major concern towards environmental degradation. India is sailing in the same boat wherein the policy makers are trying to strike a balance between development and environment. Attainment of sustainable development that supports environment is vital, therefore, the Government of India is extensively promoting use of renewable energy resources. The present study is an attempt to empirically evaluate the impact of renewable energy consumption (REC) on India’s carbon emission over the period of 1990–2020 by employing autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) model. To underline it, two model frameworks have been formed; one with environmental Kuznets curve (EKC) and another without EKC specification. The result for REC variable was found to be negative but insignificant with EKC framework, and negative and significant without EKC specifications indicating reduction in carbon emissions with the use of renewable energy resources. The results indicate that more extensive use of renewable energy resources might work towards making the REC coefficient more significant towards India’s environment.

CO2 emissions are a significant risk and threat not only to the economy, environment, and agriculture but also to public health. In this study, we examine empirical evidence of the impact of economic growth, renewable energy use, and agricultural sector improvement on reducing CO2 emissions and environmental degradation in Indonesia based on the Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) hypothesis. This study uses annual time series data from 1988 to 2020 by applying Dynamic Least Squares (DOLS) and Fully-Modified Least Squares (FMOLS) econometric estimation techniques. Based on empirical evidence, the EKC phenomenon in Indonesia cannot be validated and justified because it correlates with increasing economic growth rates as well as increasing CO2 emissions. In addition, technological innovation and renewable energy applied to Indonesia’s more modern agricultural sector have a significant impact on reducing carbon emissions and improving environmental quality. Furthermore, the consumption of renewable energy in Indonesia is limited to the manufacturing and service sectors, which means it does not contribute to carbon emissions.