How do ICT and renewable energy impact sustainable development?

Abstract

This study aims to analyze whether information and communication technology (ICT) and renewable energy (RE) can assist in enhancing environmental quality. This study employs time series data from 1990 to 2019 using econometric techniques. The results show that the use of ICTs in the US, UK, China, Russia, Canada, Australia, Sweden, Norway, Switzerland, and Italy has decreased environmental protection. The results reveal that RE use enhances the sustainability of the environment regardless of the sample size or surrogate utilized for ICT. Impulse response functions show that, on average, the influence of ICT and RE lasts between one and seven years. The error correction model segmentation study verified that ICT and RE contribute to the volatility of carbon dioxide emissions. There is strong evidence that carbon dioxide emissions, ICT, and RE use have a bidirectional causal relationship in most circumstances. Several ICTs and RE strategies have been established and explored to profit from the possible positive influence of ICT and RE usage on environmental quality.