Level Of Economic Development Research Articles

Spatial distribution, influencing factors and innovative development countermeasures of farmer cooperatives in Hunan Province, China

China’s rural reform is reliant on farmers' cooperatives as a key organization vehicle. It plays an important role in promoting rural revitalization. Such as, realizing the organic connection between small farmers and agricultural modernization. This study used the nearest neighbor index and kernel density estimation to analyze the spatial distribution and structural characteristics of farmer cooperatives in Hunan Province. It revealed the spatial differentiation law of cooperatives. Also using geographical detectors to figure out the main factors that affect the spatial distribution. The results show that: ① Hunan Farmers Cooperatives show significant spatial agglomeration. The overall spatial distribution shows the spatial characteristics of "one core, one circle, and multiple points". And the spatial distribution pattern of "large agglomeration, finger-shaped radiation distribution". Among them, the distribution of provincial demonstration cooperatives is relatively balanced. ② Cooperatives in six types of industries, such as planting, forestry, and feeding, showed agglomeration distribution. Different industrial cooperatives spread out in different ways, such as in an anti-"L" shape, a dual-core shape, or a one-center area. ③ The 24 influence factors selected from the five dimensions of the natural environment, social economic basis, production basis, output capacity, and facility basis have high, general, and weak influence on cooperatives' spatial distribution. The development and distribution of cooperatives mainly depend on resource endowment, social and economic development level, and market dependence. The spatial distribution heterogeneity of different professional cooperatives is mainly affected by slope, per capita disposable income of rural residents, road density, and other factors. ④ The progression of farmer cooperatives in Hunan Province should prioritize high-quality development, emphasizing the need for innovative approaches and transformative strategies within rural industrial organizations. It is imperative to optimize the spatial distribution of cooperatives, strategically contributing to the establishment of a novel framework for modern agricultural development in Hunan Province. Additionally, there is a critical emphasis on spearheading collaborative initiatives among cooperatives of varied industrial types, aimed at fostering the integrated development of rural primary, secondary, and tertiary industries.

Research on the impact of digital economic development level on ecological environment

PurposeExploring the intrinsic connection between the ecological environment and the digital economy and empirically testing how the level of digital economic development affects the ecological environment. Using the entropy weighting method to analyze the weights of the indicators in the digital economic development level and ecological environment system to explore the factors that have the greatest impact on the ecological environment in the indicator system of the digital economic development level so as to deepen the theoretical understanding of the relationship between the level of development of the digital economy and the ecological environment. Explore the regional heterogeneity of the level of development of the digital economy to promote the healthy development of China’s ecological environment proving the difference in the level of development of the digital economy in the east west and central regions of China and the difference in the effect on the ecological environment.Design/methodology/approachBased on the panel data of 30 provinces in China from 2013 to 2021 this paper fits the index system of digital economy development level with three factors. A digital infrastructure digital industry and digital application combines environmental pollution and energy consumption to construct ecological environment indicators and explored the impact of digital economy development level on the ecological environment by using the entropy weight method and the random effect model.FindingsThe findings indicate that the degree of digital economic development has a positive and significant impact on promoting the healthy development of the ecological environment, in which the digital industry has the greatest impact on the ecological environment. Meanwhile, the improvement of industrial structure also has a positive effect on the improvement of the ecological environment, whereas the level of human capital inhibits the healthy development of the ecological environment, and the governmental support fails to effectively and significantly promote the improvement of the ecological environment. Furthermore, the empirical research indicates that the level of digital economy development has obvious regional heterogeneity on the healthy development of the ecological environment: the eastern and central regions have a significant effect, while the western region has a less significant effect.Originality/valueAlthough domestic and foreign scholars and experts have conducted sufficient studies on the ecological environment and the development level of digital economy respectively, there are few studies on the empirical analysis of the positive significance and regional heterogeneity of the impact of the development level of digital economy on the ecological environment, which can be supplemented and referred to in this study. At the same time, it also provides intellectual support for our country to achieve high-quality development of digital economy and efficient governance of ecological environment.

The role of shadow banking towards a sustainable growth path

This paper utilizes data from 26 countries to document the relationship between renewable energy consumption, shadow banking, traditional banking, and economic growth covering 2010–2021. Employing panel quantile approaches, the results indicate a negative and significant impact of renewable energy consumption on economic growth, highlighting the initial high costs inherent in transitioning to renewable energy sources. Moreover, the findings reveal that shadow banking, along with traditional banking, tends to weaken the negative impacts of renewable energy consumption on economic growth, particularly in countries with medium and high levels of economic development. Finally, panel causality tests confirm bidirectional causality between economic growth and renewable energy consumption, economic growth and shadow banking, and renewable energy consumption and shadow banking. These insights underscore the need for policymakers to consider the role of alternative financing mechanisms in the transition to renewable energy.

Household debt burden growth factors: Evidence from Russian regions

Subject. This article discusses the issues of social inequality, financial literacy of the population, and the peculiarities of the development of the banking system in some regions of Russia. Objectives. The article aims to assess the impact of economic, social, demographic, and religious factors on changes in the level of debt burden of residents of Russian regions. Methods. For the study, I used a regression analysis of the Rosstat and the Bank of Russia panel data. Results. The estimations show that a decrease in per capita incomes and an increase in the level of social inequality have a positive effect on the debt burden growth. The debt burden increases with an increase in the percentage of the population below working age and a decrease in the percentage of the population over working age, as well as an increase in the percentage of the employed with higher education. The level of debt burden is higher in regions with a wide spread of Buddhism and lower in regions with a wide spread of Islam. Conclusions. The upward trend in the debt burden of residents of regions characterized by a low level of economic development and high social inequality threatens to reduce the standard of living. However, the possibilities of neutralizing it by means of monetary and macroprudential policies and through the implementation of financial literacy programmes are limited. It is necessary to implement capital-intensive measures to develop the economic base of problem regions.

Uneven agricultural contraction within fast-urbanizing urban agglomeration decreases the nitrogen use efficiency of crop production.

Diverse development paths among cities within an urban agglomeration can lead to uneven changes in their agricultural production scale, which reshape the inter-city food supply patterns and the spatiotemporal characteristics of nitrogen (N) pollution from the food system. Here, using Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area of China as a case, we found a substantial decrease in N use efficiency of crop production from 45.2% to 29.3% during 1989-2007, along with a growing level of concentration of food N production in less-urbanized cities. From 1989 to 2018, 12.3% to 42.2% of total N pollution in food production became embedded in inter-city trade, leading to aggregation of N pollution in peripheral cities with relatively low levels of economic development. We suggest that protection and intensification of cropland from urban encroachment, as well as enhancing the economic and technical synergies among cities, can serve the sustainable transition of the food system with coordinated N pollution mitigation.

The impact of urbanization on food security in China

Against the background of urbanization's rapid development in China from 1984 to 2020, this research evaluates the mechanisms of its impact and food security by constructing a comprehensive evaluation index system for regional food security and verifying urbanization's spatial spillover effect on such security. We present the following findings. (1) A greater level of urbanization has a clear spatial effect on improving the level of food security in China. (2) Urbanization development plays a vital role in advancing local food security and at the same time has a greater negative impact on expanding surrounding food security. (3) The spatial spillover effects of urbanization on food security vary greatly, often according to different levels of regional economic development and natural geographic settings. This paper offers recommendations for controlling regional urbanization development, improving the radiation-driven role of urbanization, and implementing differentiated regional policies.

Unveiling Transportation Socio-Economic Adaptability Using a Node–Place Model: A Case from Zhejiang Province, China

Effective investment in transportation infrastructure ensures sustainable urban development and high-quality economic development. Understanding transportation and socioeconomic relationships is crucial for developing investment strategies. Existing research focuses on analyzing the contribution of transportation to the economy or the contribution of economic development to transportation, neglecting the identification of transportation infrastructure weaknesses to initiate targeted investment and construction. In this study, we propose an assessment framework based on the node–place model to identify the shortcomings in transportation infrastructure. The framework encompasses the adaptability of the current transportation infrastructure and the stage of economic development, evaluating whether the current transportation infrastructure is ahead of or lagging behind the level of economic development. We conduct a case study on three kinds of transportation infrastructure, including railways, highways, and civil aviation, in Zhejiang Province, China. The results show that Zhejiang Province’s transportation infrastructure generally meets economic development requirements, and most cities have relatively advanced transportation systems. However, significant gaps in transportation facilities in certain areas still need to be targeted and supplemented. These findings help to explore the theoretical relationship between transportation and socioeconomics, providing a basis for economic investment decisions on transportation infrastructure.

Research of multimodal transport potential of major cities in China based on the satellite remote sensing

Abstract. By two or more modes of transportation to connect with each other and complete the transport process, multimodal transport could significantly improve transport efficiency, reduce costs, while promote energy conservation and emission reduction, compared with the traditional single mode of transport. Therefore, the multimodal transport development reflects the level of national or regional economic development to some extent. In this study, multimodal transport potential index was built to evaluate the possibility of multimodal transport. Remote sensing images from satellites were used to extract roads, railway stations and airports. A method was proposed to derive the road-rail transport potential index and road-air transport potential index, and then for the analysis of multimodal transport potential in 36 cities. Results show that there is a big gap among 36 cities on the development potential of road-rail and road-air transport. Compared with the road-rail transport potential index, the distribution of road-air transport potential index is more consistent among and within the seven regions. Index values of megacity and super cities are much higher than type I and II big cities. Moreover, in the 36 cities, there is a positive correlation between the multimodal transport potential index and GDP. The research results could be used to quantitatively evaluate the development of transport infrastructure, consequently provide more solid and reliable basic information for the planning, design and scheme adjustment of multimodal transport, thus comprehensively improve the efficiency and quality of multimodal transport, serve the territorial spatial planning.

Effectiveness of hierarchical medical system and economic growth: based on China's urban vs. rural health perspectives.

The hierarchical medical system is an important measure to promote equitable healthcare and sustain economic development. As the population's consumption level rises, the demand for healthcare services also increases. Based on urban and rural perspectives in China, this study aims to investigate the effectiveness of the hierarchical medical system and its relationship with economic development in China. The study analyses panel data collected from Chinese government authorities, covering the period from 2009 to 2022. According to China's regional development policy, China is divided into the following regions: Eastern, Middle, Western, and Northeastern. Urban and rural component factors were downscaled using principal component analysis (PCA). The factor score formula combined with Urban-rural disparity rate (ΔD) were utilized to construct models for evaluating the effectiveness of the hierarchical medical system from an urban-rural perspective. A Vector Autoregression model is then constructed to analyze the dynamic relationship between the effects of the hierarchical medical system and economic growth, and to predict potential future changes. Three principal factors were extracted. The contributions of the three principal factors were 38.132, 27.662, and 23.028%. In 2021, the hierarchical medical systems worked well in Henan (F = 47245.887), Shandong (F = 45999.640), and Guangdong (F = 42856.163). The Northeast (ΔDmax = 18.77%) and Eastern region (ΔDmax = 26.04%) had smaller disparities than the Middle (ΔDmax = 49.25%) and Western region (ΔDmax = 56.70%). Vector autoregression model reveals a long-term cointegration relationship between economic development and the healthcare burden for both urban and rural residents (βurban = 3.09, βrural = 3.66), as well as the number of individuals receiving health education (β = -0.3492). Both the Granger causality test and impulse response analysis validate the existence of a substantial time lag between the impact of the hierarchical medical system and economic growth. Residents in urban areas are more affected by economic factors, while those in rural areas are more influenced by time considerations. The urban rural disparity in the hierarchical medical system is associated with the level of economic development of the region. When formulating policies for economically relevant hierarchical medical systems, it is important to consider the impact of longer lags.

Persistent inequities in maternal mortality in Latin America and the Caribbean, 1990–2019

BackgroundDespite the resources and personnel mobilized in Latin America and the Caribbean to reduce the maternal mortality ratio (MMR, maternal deaths per 100 000 live births) in women aged 10–54 years by 75% between 2000 and 2015, the region failed to meet the Millenium Development Goals (MDGs) due to persistent barriers to access quality reproductive, maternal, and neonatal health services.MethodsUsing 1990–2019 data from the Global Burden of Disease project, we carried out a two-stepwise analysis to (a) identify the differences in the MMR temporal patterns and (b) assess its relationship with selected indicators: government health expenditure (GHE), the GHE as percentage of gross domestic product (GDP), the availability of human resources for health (HRH), the coverage of effective interventions to reduce maternal mortality, and the level of economic development of each country.FindingsIn the descriptive analysis, we observed a heterogeneous overall reduction of MMR in the region between 1990 and 2019 and heterogeneous overall increases in the GHE, GHE/GDP, and HRH availability. The correlation analysis showed a close, negative, and dependent association of the economic development level between the MMR and GHE per capita, the percentage of GHE to GDP, the availability of HRH, and the coverage of SBA. We observed the lowest MMRs when GHE as a percentage of GDP was close to 3% or about US$400 GHE per capita, HRH availability of 6 doctors, nurses, and midwives per 1,000 inhabitants, and skilled birth attendance levels above 90%.ConclusionsWithin the framework of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) agenda, health policies aimed at the effective reduction of maternal mortality should consider allocating more resources as a necessary but not sufficient condition to achieve the goals and should prioritize the implementation of new forms of care with a gender and rights approach, as well as strengthening actions focused on vulnerable groups.

Investigating the impact of artificial intelligence development on water pollution in China

Analysing the impacts of AI development on water pollution is of great significance for improving water environment management measures and promoting global sustainable development. In this study, macro and micro panel data of China from 2008 to 2019 were used to measure the development level of AI at the industry and provincial levels in China, and a panel data regression model was constructed to analyse the effects of AI development on water pollution and regional heterogeneity. The measurement results show that the development level of AI is increasing. Among the six industries, the intelligence level of the manufacturing industry has developed the fastest, by approximately 48.74 times compared with the baseline. At the provincial level, Guangdong Province made the greatest progress in intelligence level, increasing by approximately 23.6 times. The regression results show that AI technology is helpful in reducing the level of water pollution, and this conclusion remains valid after the regression of instrumental variables and robustness testing. In terms of regional heterogeneity, AI technology can significantly reduce the degree of water pollution in eastern and western China. However, the development of AI technology in the central region has no significant impact on water pollution, and a risk of increasing the degree of water pollution exists. The reasons may be that the eastern region has high levels of economic vitality and technological innovation and a strong ability to transform AI achievements, which can significantly improve the water environment. Industrial support policies in the western region are strong, and the application of AI can quickly improve production methods and significantly reduce water pollution levels. In comparison, the levels of economic development, technological innovation, and policy support in the central region need to be strengthened, so the environmental effect of AI is not significant.

Study on the Impact of Digital Economy Enabling High-Quality Economic Development in Yunnan Province

This article aims to explore the role of digital economy and its mechanism in promoting the high-quality development of Yunnan Province's economy. By constructing an evaluation index system and applying econometric methods, the current situation of the digital economy in Yunnan Province and its impact on the high-quality development of the economy are comprehensively analyzed. It is found that the digital economy has a significant positive contribution to the high-quality development of Yunnan Province's economy, and indirectly affects the high-quality development of the economy by enhancing the level of entrepreneurship. In addition, there is a non-linear relationship between the digital economy and high-quality economic development, and the promotion effect of the digital economy on high-quality economic development varies significantly across different levels of economic development. Based on these findings, the article puts forward policy recommendations such as comprehensively promoting the development of the digital economy and implementing a differentiated digital economy development strategy in order to promote the sustainable development of Yunnan Province and the wider region in the era of the digital economy.

A study of the impact of the digital economy on regional energy efficiency

The digital economy, emerging as a new form of economic system, holds a crucial position in enhancing energy efficiency. It does so by streamlining the distribution of resources with the help of data and augmenting the flow efficiency of production factors. This paper examines the precise role and mechanism of the digital economy in enhancing energy efficiency from both theoretical and empirical perspectives. This paper utilises panel data from China's provinces and cities over a fifteen-year period, ranging from 2006 to 2021. The fixed-effects model is employed to investigate the precise pathway in which the level of digital economy development influences energy efficiency. The study reveals that the digital economy has a notable impact on enhancing energy efficiency. The analytical mechanism indicates that the digital economy effectively improves energy efficiency by advancing regional marketisation, optimising the industrial structure, and fostering innovation and the adoption of new technologies. Owing to considerable disparity among diverse parts of China, the digital economy seems to have a positive impact on the eastern and central regions, while its influence remains restricted in the western regions. Meanwhile, the areas encompassed by the Yangtze River Economic Belt are the most viable for advancement in energy efficiency through the digital economy. The influence of the digital economy on energy efficiency is markedly inconsistent due to the considerable variation in resource allocation among various regions. The role of the digital economy in enhancing energy efficiency is particularly evident in regions with moderate resource endowment. Thus, this study contends that realisation of the digital economy's capacity requires the government to consider the regional development disparities and resource endowment circumstances. To achieve balanced regional growth and comprehensive progress in energy efficiency, the government must develop tailored policies that promote marketisation, optimise industrial structure, and incentivise technological advancement. Therefore, the implementation of these measures is crucial.

The Impact of Digital Economy on Domestic Trade and Investment Efficiency Measurement and Heterogeneity Analysis

Against the backdrop of a new round of booming technological revolution, the digital economy has brought about high-quality development for trade. This paper is based on the 2011-2019 China's trade and investment in China, which will have a profound impact on China's trade and investment. This paper is based on the2011-2019 China. The spatial panel data of 30 provinces (excluding Tibet, Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan) were analysed by using OLS model, panel solid model and panel data. Construct correlation regression models using fixed effects model, panel random effects model, differential GMM and systematic GMM methods. type and "Digital Economy Development Level Indicator System" to study the impact of the digital economy on the efficiency of domestic trade and investment.so as to contribute to the promotion of high-level opening up to the outside world, the deepening of domestic demand strategy, and the construction of " trade power".

Study on the Coordinated Development Model of Ecological Economy and Environmental Protection

This paper establishes a comprehensive evaluation index system of the ecological environment and the economy, and the coupling degrees and coordination degrees from 2015 to 2019 are calculated. The results show that (1) There is a relationship between economic growth and environmental pollution. Discharging industrial pollutants is an important factor affecting the coordinated development of the ecological environment and economic coupling. (2) The comprehensive evaluation index of the ecological environment and economic development systems is increasing yearly, and the quality of the ecological environment and the level of economic development are constantly improving. (3) The value of the coupling degree and coupling coordination degree between ecological environment and economic development is increasing yearly, and the development trend is good. The coupling degree gradually shifts from low-level coupling to high-level coupling stage.

Which Provinces Will Be the Beneficiaries of Forestry Carbon Sink Trade? A Study on the Carbon Intensity–Carbon Sink Assessment Model in China

Carbon emissions pose a significant challenge to sustainable development, particularly for China, which is the world’s largest emerging economy and is under pressure to achieve carbon neutrality and reduce emissions amid escalating human activities. The variation in economic development levels and carbon sequestration capacities among its provinces poses a significant hurdle. However, previous research has not adequately examined this dual discrepancy from the perspective of spatial heterogeneity, resulting in a lack of differentiated management of forest carbon sinks across diverse regions. Therefore, to mitigate this discrepancy, this study presents an assessment methodology that analyzes over 100 types of natural and plantation forests using forest age and biomass expansion factors. This study presents a model that can significantly support the efforts of both China and the whole world to achieve carbon neutrality through the improved management of forest carbon sinks. This approach facilitates the assessment of carbon offsets required to meet reduction targets, the development of a provincial framework for carbon intensity and sequestration, and the exploration of their potential for trading markets. Analysis is conducted using MATLAB. Key achievements of this study include the following: (1) The collection of a comprehensive carbon stock dataset for 50 natural and 57 plantation forest types in 31 provinces from 2009 to 2018, highlighting the significant role of new forests in carbon sequestration. (2) The development of a provincial carbon status scoring system that categorizes provinces as carbon-negative, carbon-balancing, or carbon-positive based on local forest sink data and carbon credit demand. (3) The formulation of the carbon intensity–carbon sink assessment (CISA) model, which suggests that provinces with middle- to upper-middle-level economies may have a prolonged need for carbon sink credits during their peak carbon phase. Furthermore, the results show that carbon trading may benefit Guangxi and Yunnan, but may also bring opportunities and risks to Hunan and Hubei. To address regional imbalances, this study advocates tailored policies: carbon-negative and carbon-balancing provinces should enhance carbon sink management, while carbon-positive provinces must focus on energy structure transformation to achieve sustainable development goals.

The coupling coordination between health service supply and regional economy in China: spatio-temporal evolution and convergence.

The coordination of health service supply and regional economy is an integral path to promote China's prosperity. Based on the coupling mechanism of health service supply and regional economy, we sampled the data from 30 provinces in China from 2009 to 2021 in this study and constructed the evaluation index system. Additionally, we calculated the coupling coordination degree (HED) of the two through the coupling coordination degree model. We further used the kernel density estimation, Moran's I index, and spatial β convergence model to assess the dynamic evolution trends, spatial aggregation effect, and spatial convergence characteristics of coupling coordination. (1) HED in China showed a rising trend during the study period but with large regional differences, forming a gradient distribution pattern of "high in the east and low in the west." (2) The results of Kernel density estimation show that HED has formed a gradient differentiation phenomenon within each region in China. (3) HED has modeled spatial clustering characteristics during the study period, with high-value clusters mainly appearing in the eastern region and low-value clusters appearing in the northwestern region. (4) There are absolute β-convergence and conditional β-convergence trends in HED in China and the three major regions during the study period, but there is an obvious regional heterogeneity in the control factors. The research provides a reference for accurately implementing policies according to different levels of health service supply and economic development, in addition to narrowing the regional differences of the coupling coordination between the regional economy and health service supply.

Human-centric paradigm as a fundamental principle of the public administration system

The article analyzes trends in the provision of public services in Ukraine and the world. The system of providing services, the mechanisms of their public management are analyzed, and the theoretical and practical research base is formed. The priorities of the population in obtaining public services have been determined. the purpose of the article is to search for effective public management mechanisms aimed at ensuring the appropriate level of public service provision regardless of social status, age, race, or gender. The role of various branches of government in ensuring the quality of public services is determined. The article presents the results of a sociological survey, which made it possible to determine the priorities of the provision of public services and assess the quality of their provision. The correspondence of these indicators was formed and their interrelationships were determined. An analysis of the role of the judicial system as one of the branches of government in the provision of public services was carried out. For this purpose, a section of the statistics of executive proceedings, which were related to the provision of public services, was made. The dynamics are given for the years 2015-2022, which made it possible to analyze changes in such indicators and determine cause-and-effect relationships. The world experience in the system of public management of the provision of public services is analyzed. In particular, the dependence of the level of economic development of the state and the level of provision of public services is determined. Problems in the provision of services related to a person's social status and gender problems have been identified. The result of the study is the development of recommendations for improving the system of providing public services considering the problems identified during the analysis in the article. Ensuring equal access to public services for all citizens can be a complex issue that needs to be addressed considering social, economic, and cultural factors, as well as gender equality.

How can low-carbon help high-quality urban development?-Empirical evidence from low-carbon city pilot policies.

High-quality development is the paramount task for comprehensively building a socialist modernized country. The low-carbon city pilot policy, with cities as the unit of action, provides new opportunities for high-quality economic transformation. Based on panel data from 261 cities between 2005 and 2018, this study calculates the level of high-quality economic development in Chinese cities, constructs a multi-period difference-in-differences model, analyzes the impact of the low-carbon city pilot policy on high-quality economic development, and explores the policy's heterogeneous effects on high-quality development in different types of cities and its transmission mechanism. The research findings show that the low-carbon city pilot policy can significantly promote high-quality economic development in cities and has heterogeneous effects in terms of regional differences, city types, and city scale. The effects are relatively greater in the eastern region, non-resource-based cities, and mega-cities. The low-carbon city pilot policy promotes high-quality economic development through mechanisms such as technological progress effects, resource agglomeration effects, and government action improvement effects. Combining theoretical analysis with empirical results, this study proposes policy recommendations to enhance the effectiveness of the low-carbon city pilot policy in promoting high-quality development.

Energy efficiency as a driver of the circular economy and carbon neutrality in selected countries of Southern Europe: a soft computing approach

BackgroundThe main goal of the paper is to define the level of energy efficiency in the economies of selected countries in the Balkan region that have opted for the EU Green Deal, a circular economy, and a transition to carbon neutrality. Energy efficiency, as a determinant of carbon neutrality, was selected as an indicator for analysis because it records particularly unfavorable indicators in the region under observation. The research was carried out on a sample of seven Balkan countries and their surrounding areas. An initial qualitative analysis was followed by a quantitative analysis based on a combination of statistical methods and soft computing. Six indicators were selected for the analysis covering a period of 30 years (1990–2020).ResultsA significant obstacle to the green transition and the region’s transition to a circular economy and carbon neutrality is energy efficiency and energy related pollution—the reliance of most countries on coal-fired thermal power plants for electricity generation. The research results showed the following: (a) the degree of economic development and membership in the European Union are not significantly related to the level of energy efficiency; (b) most of the sampled countries are in the initial stages of introducing activities to achieve carbon neutrality; and (c) only Slovenia has documented consistent indicators and evident advancements in its efforts to achieve carbon neutrality. Based on the research findings, proposals for improvements were made in the direction of policymaking and in a methodological sense.ConclusionsThe implementation of circularity and carbon neutrality as a long-term goal of the European Union is not necessarily related to the level of economic development, nor can its trajectory be exclusively ascertained by means of data processing and monitoring. A more precise understanding of a carbon-neutral future can be achieved through the incorporation of qualitative data to a greater extent, a realistic evaluation of historical facts and their repercussions, as well as projections of the effects that reality and global developments after 2022 will have on each country.