Abstract
Ecological footprint (EF) and human development index (HDI) are two critical indicators for assessing sustainable development worldwide. Past studies in Africa have ignored dynamic sustainable total-factor ecological efficiency (DSTFEE) assessment. This present study proffers a novel dynamic sustainable total-factor ecological efficiency (DSTFEE) that comprehensively assesses the ecological efficiency among 44 sampled African economies from 2010 to 2016. Our study incorporates EF and HDI in the model. Second, the study evaluates regional DSTFEE heterogeneity efficiency as well as the technological gap efficiency in Africa. Further, projection analysis is done to offer a viable solution path to address the inefficient African countries. Third, the study investigates the determinants of ecological efficiency using the bootstrap truncation regression technique. The results from the implemented models are as follows: first, the DSTFEE for the 44 sampled African countries is very low (0.403), indicating enormous potential for improvement. Second, the heterogeneity of DSTFEE across the five Africa regional blocs is evident. The southern bloc had the highest efficiency score, followed by the northern, central, western, and eastern regions. The technology gap ratio also reveals a massive gap among the five Africa regional blocs. Third, the bootstrap truncation regression results established a U-shape nexus between growth and DSTFEE in Africa. REC and trade openness is positively corrected to DSTFEE for African countries. In contrast, financial development, foreign direct investment (FDI), and urbanization impede dynamic ecological efficiency in Africa. The study’s results equip African countries with adequate knowledge of their ecological efficiency situation and provide them a viable path to improve environmental efficiency, thereby boosting their ecological sustainability.
Highlights
Environmental degradation continues to be a significant challenge that threatens human survival
This study intends to fill these gaps. This current study aims to investigate the total-factor ecological efficiency in Africa using the novel dynamic sustainable total-factor ecological efficiency (DSTFEE) assessment
The rest of the understudied African countries had relatively poor efficiency performances. This implies that anthropogenic activities have a telling effect on efficiency and sustainable development on the African continent
Summary
Environmental degradation continues to be a significant challenge that threatens human survival. Environmental degradation is the gradual depletion of the world’s natural resources and has implications for sustainable development [1]. Improving the world’s economic output posed a significant threat to environmental quality and contributed enormously to the global climate due to the increasing demand for fossil fuel [2]. The importance of ecological sustainability is well established in the literature. A renowned continent in the world, is richly endowed with both natural and energy resources. The over-exploitation of the continent’s natural resources and other human activities that entail carbon exhaustion has an adverse effect on environmental quality. The continued increase in African economic output and the growing energy demand exerts severe ecological challenges.
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