Green growth in the global south: How does metallic minerals affect GTFP enhancement?

Abstract

Metallic mineral mining plays a pivotal role in the economic development of countries located in the Global South, necessitating a comprehensive assessment of its compatibility with environmentally sustainable progress. This study is grounded in an extensive analysis of panel datasets encompassing 134 nations in the Global South, spanning the years 2000–2019. We explore the impact of metallic mineral mining on GTFP by employing the system-generalized method of moments (SYS-GMM) approach. In addition, this study further conducts robustness and heterogeneity tests, and analyze the mediating and moderating effects. The principal findings are as follows: (1) The practice of metallic mineral mining exercises a dampening effect on the augmentation of GTFP, posing a significant challenge to the pursuit of environmentally sustainable economic progress; (2) Metallic mineral mining has the most severe adverse impact on GTFP in Latin America region; (3) Metallic mineral mining indirectly reduces GTFP by affecting the reduction of human capital levels; (4) The development of renewable energy and technological innovation have become potential antidotes to offset the adverse effects of metallic mineral mining on GTFP. Our research results offer practical and effective references for promoting sustainable green development in the Global South.