Willingness to pay for National Health Insurance Services and Associated Factors in Africa and Asia: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Universal health coverage (UHC) is crucial for public health, poverty eradication, and economic growth. However, 97% of low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), particularly Africa and Asia, lack it, relying on out-of-pocket (OOP) expenditure. National Health Insurance (NHI) guarantees equity and priorities aligned with medical needs, for which we aimed to determine the pooled willingness to pay (WTP) and its influencing factors from the available literature in Africa and Asia. Methods: Database searches were conducted on Scopus, HINARI, PubMed, Google Scholar, and Semantic Scholar from March 31 to April 4, 2023. The Joanna Briggs Institute's (JBI's) tools and the "preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA) 2020 statement" were used to evaluate bias and frame the review, respectively. The data were analyzed using Stata 17. To assess heterogeneity, we conducted sensitivity and subgroup analyses, calculated the Luis Furuya-Kanamori (LFK) index, and used a random model to determine the effect estimates (proportions and odds ratios) with a p value less than 0.05 and a 95% CI. Results: Nineteen studies were included in the review. The pooled WTP on the continents was 66.0% (95% CI, 54.0-77.0%) before outlier studies were not excluded, but increased to 71.0% (95% CI, 68-75%) after excluding them. The factors influencing the WTP were categorized as socio-demographic factors, income and economic issues, information level and sources, illness and illness expenditure, health service factors, factors related to financing schemes, as well as social capital and solidarity. Age has been found to be consistently and negatively related to the WTP for NHI, while income level was an almost consistent positive predictor of it. Conclusion: The WTP for NHI was moderate, while it was slightly higher in Africa than Asia and was found to be affected by various factors, with age being reported to be consistently and negatively related to it, while an increase in income level was almost a positive determinant of it.

A systematic review on microplastic contamination in marine Crustacea and Mollusca of Asia: Current scenario, concentration, characterization, polymeric risk assessment, and future Prospectives.

Microplastics (MPs) pollution has wreaked havoc on biodiversity and food safety globally. The false ingestion of MPs causes harmful effects on organisms, resulting in a decline in biodiversity. The present review comprehended the current knowledge of MP contamination in Crustacea and Mollusca from 75 peer-reviewed articles published in Asia between 2015 and 2023. A total of 79 species (27 Crustacea and 52 Mollusca) have been recorded to be contaminated with MPs. Out of the total 27 species of Crustacea, Metopograpsus quadridentatus (327.56 MPs/individual) and Balanus albicostatus (0.42 MPs/individual) showed the highest and lowest contamination, respectively. Out of the total 52 species of Mollusca, Dolabella auricularia (2325 MPs/individual) and Crassostrea gigas and Mytilus edulis (0.2 MPs/individual) showed the highest and lowest contamination, respectively. In terms of country-wise MP contamination, China has the highest number of contaminated species in both phylums among Asia. Findings of pollution indices revealed a very high risk of MP contamination in all the countries. Fiber was reported predominantly in both groups. Blue and black-colored MPs having <500 µm and <500 µm-1 mm size were found dominantly in Crustacea and Mollusca, respectively. Polypropylene was recorded as the dominant plastic polymer in both Crustacea and Mollusca. In essence, this review has provided a comprehensive insight into MP concentration in Crustacea and Mollusca of Asia, highlighting variations among species and geographic locations. This understanding is crucial for tackling urgent environmental challenges, safeguarding human health, and promoting global sustainability initiatives amid the escalating issue of plastic pollution. PRACTITIONER POINTS: Microplastic pollution has created havoc on biodiversity and food safety. A total of 27 and 52 species of crustaceans and Mollusca have been recorded to be contaminated with MPs. Metopograpsus quadridentate and Dolabella auricularia have shown higher MPs contamination. Polypropylene was recorded as the dominant plastic polymer in both crustacean and Mollusca. Findings of pollution indices revealed a very high risk of MP contamination in all the countries.

Trade openness, human capital, natural resource, and carbon emission nexus: a CS-ARDL assessment for Central Asian economies.

There is a call for global efforts to preserve the ecological systems that can sustain economies and people's lives. However, carbon emission (CEM) threatens the sustainability of humanity and ecological systems. This analysis looked into the influence of energy use (ERU), human capital (HCI), trade openness (TOP), natural resource (NRR), population, and economic growth (ENG) on CEM. The paper gathered panel data from the Central Asia region from 1990 to 2020. The CS-ARDL was applied to establish the long-term interaction among the indicators. The paper's findings indicated the presence of the environmental Kuznets curve (EKC) in the Central Asia regions. Also, the empirical evidence highlighted that energy use, natural resources, and trade openness cause higher levels of CEM. However, the research verified that CEM can be improved through human capital and urban population growth. The study also found that HCI moderates the interaction between NRR and CEM. The causality assessment indicated a one-way interplay between ENG, ERU, NRR, and CEM. The study proposes that to support ecological stability in these regions, policy-makers should concentrate on developing human capital, investing in renewable energy sources, and utilizing contemporary technologies to harness natural resources in the economies of Central Asia.

Does the "Belt and Road Initiative" benefit the environment? Insight from analysis of intra-industry trade in environment goods.

The expansion of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) has raised a wide range of concerns about its environmental impact. Therefore, from the perspective of environmental impacts, this study used the two-way fixed effect staggered differences in differences (TWFE Staggered DID) method to examine the impact of the BRI on the Environment Goods (EGs) intra-industry trade (IIT) between China and other Belt and Road (B&R) countries, including a sample of 191 countries, covering the period from 2010 to 2019 for eliminating the impact of COVID-19 and the financial crisis in 2008 and 2009. Because only 135 countries signed a Memorandum of Understanding between 2010 and 2019, this study treated these B&R countries as the study group, and the other 73 countries (non-B&R countries) as the control group. This study described EGs using the 54 6-digit code Environment Goods in Harmonized Commodity Description and Coding System listed in the "APEC LIST OF ENVIRONMENT GOODS" published by the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation in 2012, and used the intra-industry trade index proposed by Grubel and Lloyd in 1971 to measuring dependent variable. The research results indicated that the BRI has significantly promoted bilateral EGs IIT. The mechanism test implied that, in addition to direct impacts, the BRI also has indirect impacts by boosting the energy restructuring of B&R countries. These results prove that the BRI has positive impacts on the environment. The heterogeneity test showed that there is a heterogeneous impact depending on the type of IIT, product categorization, B&R countries' income levels, and geographic environment. This study not only gives theoretical and empirical evidence of the positive environmental impacts of the BRI, but also provides practical guidance for the development of EGS IIT between China and B&R countries, thereby contributing to global carbon emissions reduction and environmental governance to some degree.

Do renewable energy sources perfectly displace non-renewable energy sources? Evidence from Asia-Pacific economies.

The existing scholarly discourse surrounding the energy transition has long operated on the assumption of perfect displacement of non-renewable energy. However, an evolving set of studies highlights an intricate web of inefficiencies and complexities that prevent the perfect displacement of fossil fuel energy with renewable energy production. Since this could carry serious implications for the environmental targets of several economies, it is crucial to accurately and continuously measure the actual extent of fossil fuel displacement. Within this framework, this study empirically investigates the extent of non-renewable energy displacement by renewable energy for a balanced panel of seven Asia-Pacific (APAC) countries between 1989 and 2015. The outcome function also controls for globalisation, real GDP per capita, and crude oil prices. After implementing the necessary diagnostics, the panel cointegration establishes a significant long-run relationship among the selected variables. The PMG-ARDL estimation indicates that renewable energy production and globalisation significantly reduce the fossil fuel energy production, whereas real GDP per capita and crude oil prices induce it positively. However, the coefficient of renewable energy production is only - 0.39, indicating that more than 2.5 units of renewable electricity are necessary to displace a unit of non-renewable energy. As such, this study concludes that the current energy transition in Asia-Pacific region is not perfect. These results are robust to the usage of the FGLS estimation technique. The study suggests the adoption of a new energy transition that allows greater displacement of fossil fuel energy as well as gradual reduction in overall energy use.

Shaping a greener future: The role of geopolitical risk, renewable energy and financial development on environmental sustainability using the LCC hypothesis.

The recent progress report of Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 2023 highlighted the extreme reactions of environmental degradation. This report also shows that the current efforts for achieving environmental sustainability (SDG 13) are inadequate and a comprehensive policy agenda is needed. However, the present literature has highlighted several determinants of environmental degradation but the influence of geopolitical risk on environmental quality (EQ) is relatively ignored. To fill this research gap and propose a inclusive policy structure for achieving the sustainable development goals. This study is the earliest attempt that delve into the effects o of geopolitical risk (GPR), financial development (FD), and renewable energy consumption (REC) on load capacity factor (LCF) under the framework of load capacity curve (LCC) hypothesis for selected Asian countries during 1990-2020. In this regard, we use several preliminary sensitivity tests to check the features and reliability of the dataset. Similarly, we use panel quantile regression for investigating long-run relationships. The factual results affirm the existence of the LCC hypothesis in selected Asian countries. Our findings also show that geopolitical risk reduces environmental quality whereas financial development and REC increase environmental quality. Drawing from the empirical findings, this study suggests a holistic policy approach for achieving the targets of SDG 13 (climate change).

Assessing health determinants worldwide: Econometric analysis of the Global Burden of Diseases Study 2000-18 - Highlighting impactful factors on DALY, YLL, and YLD indicators.

Background: As the health status of a population is influenced by a variety of health determinants, we sought to assess their impact on health outcomes, both at the global and regional levels. Methods: This ecological study encompassed all 194 member countries of the World Health Organization (WHO) from 2000 to 2018. We first identified all health determinants and then retrieved the related data from various global databases. We additionally considered three indicators - disability-adjusted life years (DALYs), years of life lost (YLL), and years lived with disability (YLD) - in evaluating health outcomes; we extracted their data from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2019 study. We then applied econometric analyses using a multilevel mixed-effects linear regression model. Results: The analysis using the DALY indicator showed that the variables of sexually transmitted infections, injuries prevalence, and urbanisation had the highest effect size or regression coefficients (ß) for health outcomes. The variables of sexually transmitted infection (ß = 0.75, P < 0.001) in the African region; drinking water (ß = -0.60, P < 0.001), alcohol use (ß = 0.20, P < 0.001), and drug use (ß = 0.05, P = 0.036) in the Americas region; urbanisation (ß = -0.34, P < 0.001) in the Eastern Mediterranean region; current health expenditure (ß = -0.21, P < 0.001) in the Europe region; injuries (ß = 0.65, P < 0.001), air pollution (ß = 0.29, P < 0.001), and obesity (ß = 0.92, P < 0.001) in the South-East Asia region; and gross domestic product (ß = -0.25, P < 0.001), education (ß = -0.90, P < 0.001), and smoking (ß = 0.28, P < 0.001) in the Western Pacific region had the most significant role in explaining global health outcomes. Except for the drug use variable in regional findings, the role of other variables in explaining the YLL indicator was greater than that of the YLD indicator. Conclusions: To address global health disparities and optimise resource allocation, global and interregional policymakers should focus on determinants that had the highest ß with health outcomes in each region compared to other regions. These determinants likely have a higher marginal health product, and investing in them is likely to be more cost-effective.

Disparities in pediatric anaphylaxis triggers and management across Asia.

BACKGROUND: The epidemiology and management of anaphylaxis are not well-reported in Asia. METHODS: A regional pediatric anaphylaxis registry was established by the Asia-Pacific Research Network for Anaphylaxis (APRA), using standardized protocols for prospective data collection, to evaluate the triggers and management of anaphylaxis in the Asia-Pacific region. Pediatric patients below 18 years presenting with anaphylaxis across four Asian countries/cities (Thailand, Singapore, Hong Kong (HK), and Qingdao) were included. Allergen triggers, symptoms, anaphylaxis severity, and management were compared. RESULTS: Between 2019 and 2022, 721 anaphylaxis episodes in 689 patients from 16 centers were identified. The mean age at anaphylaxis presentation was 7.0 years (SD = 5.2) and 60% were male. Food was the most common trigger (62%), particularly eggs and cow's milk in children aged 3 years and below. In school-age children, nut anaphylaxis was most common in HK and Singapore, but was rare in the other countries, and wheat was the top allergen in Bangkok. Shellfish anaphylaxis was most common in children aged 7-17. Adrenaline was administered in 60% of cases, with 9% given adrenaline before hospital arrival. Adrenaline devices were prescribed in up to 82% of cases in Thailand but none in Qingdao. CONCLUSIONS: The APRA identified food as the main trigger of anaphylaxis in children, but causative allergens differed even across Asian countries. Fewer than two-thirds of cases received adrenaline treatment, pre-hospital adrenaline usage was low, and adrenaline device prescription remained suboptimal. The registry recognizes an unmet need to strengthen anaphylaxis care and research in Asia-Pacific.

Burden of heart failure in Asia, 1990-2019: findings from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019.

OBJECTIVES: Heart failure (HF) is on the rise as a global health problem, but information on its burden in Asia is limited. This study aimed to assess the burden, trends, and underlying causes of HF in the Asian region. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: Data on HF in Asia from 1990 to 2019, including prevalence, years lived with disability (YLD), and underlying causes, were extracted from the Global Burden of Diseases 2019. The cases, the age-standardized prevalence, and the YLD were compared between the age groups, the sexes, the sociodemographic index, and the locations. The proportion of age-standardized prevalence rates of HF attributable to 16 underlying causes was also analyzed. RESULTS: In 2019, the age-standardized prevalence rate of HF per 100,000 persons in Asia was 722.45 (95% uncertainty interval [UI]: 591.97-891.64), with an estimated 31.89 million cases (95% UI: 25.94-39.25). From 1990 to 2019, the prevalence of age-standardized HF in Asia decreased by 4.51%, reflecting the global trend (-7.06%). Age-standardized YLD rates of HF exhibited patterns similar to prevalence rates. Among Asian countries, China had the highest age-standardized prevalence rate, followed by Kuwait and Jordan. Hypertensive heart disease was the leading cause of HF, followed by ischemic heart disease and rheumatic heart disease. CONCLUSIONS: Although the burden of HF in Asia showed a gradual decline between 1990 and 2019, it remains a significant health challenge that requires increased attention. Regional disparities in HF burden are evident, emphasizing the need for urgent prevention and control measures at the regional and national levels.

The burden of mental disorders in Asian countries, 1990-2019: an analysis for the global burden of disease study 2019.

Mental disorders are the leading contributors to the globally nonfatal burden of disease. This study was aimed to estimate the burden of mental disorders in Asian countries. Based on GBD 2019, the prevalence and disability-adjusted life of years (DALYs) rates with 95% uncertainty intervals (UI) were estimated in Asian countries. Predictions for the future burden of 8 selected countries, ranks of the burden of mental disorders and correlations with Sociodemographic Index (SDI) were also estimated. During the past 3 decades, while the number of DALYs of mental disorders increased from 43.9 million (95% UI: 32.5-57.2) to 69.0 million (95% UI: 51.0-89.7), the age-standardized rates of DALYs of mental disorders remained largely consistent from 1452.2 (95% UI: 1080.16-1888.53) per 100,000 population in 1990 to 1434.82 (95% UI: 1065.02-1867.27) per 100,000 population in 2019, ranked as the eighth most significant disease burden in Asia in 2019. Depressive disorders (37.2%) were the leading contributors to the age-standardized DALY rates of mental disorders in Asia, followed by anxiety disorders (21.5%). The age-standardized DALY rates in females were higher than their male counterparts, both peaked at 30-34 years. The age-standardized DALY rates were predicted to remain stable, with the number of DALYs presented an upward trend in the future. There was no significant correlation between the burden of mental disorders and SDI. All mental disorders ranked higher in 2019, compared in 1990. To reduce this burden, urgent measures for prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation for mental disorders need to be taken by Asian governments.

Differences in clinical outcomes and resource utilization in pediatric traumatic brain injury between countries of different sociodemographic indices.

OBJECTIVE: The burden of traumatic brain injury (TBI) is disproportionately high in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). This study aimed to compare clinical outcomes and healthcare utilization for children with moderate to severe TBIs between LMICs and non-LMICs in Asia and Latin America. METHODS: The authors performed an observational multicenter study from January 2014 to February 2023 among children with moderate to severe TBIs admitted to participating pediatric intensive care units (PICUs) in the Pediatric Acute and Critical Care Medicine Asian Network (PACCMAN) and Red Colaborativa Pediátrica de Latinoamérica (LARed Network). They classified sites according to their 2019 sociodemographic index (SDI). Low, low-middle, and middle SDI sites were considered LMICs, while high-middle and high SDI sites were considered non-LMICs. The authors documented patient demographics and TBI management. Accounting for death, they recorded 14-day PICU-free and 28-day hospital-free days, with fewer free days indicating poorer outcome. The authors compared children who died and those who had poor functional outcomes (defined as Pediatric Cerebral Performance Category [PCPC] level of moderate disability, severe disability, or vegetative state or coma) between LMICs and non-LMICs and performed a multivariable logistic regression analysis for predicting poor functional outcomes. RESULTS: In total, 771 children with TBIs were analyzed. Mortality was comparable between LMICs and non-LMICs (9.6% vs 12.9%, p = 0.146). Children with TBIs from LMICs were more likely to have a poor PCPC outcome (31.0% vs 21.3%, p = 0.004) and had fewer ICU-free days (median [IQR] 6 [0-10] days vs 8 [0-11] days, p = 0.004) and hospital-free days (median [IQR] 9 [0-18] days vs 13 [0-20] days, p = 0.007). Poor functional outcomes were associated with LMIC status (adjusted OR [aOR] 1.53, 95% CI 1.04-2.26), a lower Glasgow Coma Scale score (aOR 0.83, 95% CI 0.78-0.88), and the presence of multiple trauma (aOR 1.49, 95% CI 1.01-2.19). Children with TBIs in LMICs required greater resource utilization in the form of early intubation and mechanical ventilation (81.6% vs 73.2%, p = 0.006), use of hyperosmolar therapy (77.7% vs 63.6%, p < 0.001), and use of antiepileptic drugs (73.9% vs 53.1%, p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Within Asia and Latin America, children with TBIs in LMICs were more likely to have poor functional outcomes and required greater resource utilization. Further research should focus on investigating causal factors and developing targeted interventions to mitigate these disparities.

Towards a greener future: examining carbon emission dynamics in Asia amid gross domestic product, energy consumption, and trade openness.

The purpose of this study is to examine the impact of gross domestic product, energy consumption, and trade openness on carbon emission in Asia. Among the 48 countries in Asia, 42 were included in the analysis, spanning a period of 20 years. Given that Asia is the predominant contributor, accounting for 53% of global emissions as of 2019, a comprehensive examination at both continental and individual country levels becomes imperative. Such an approach aligns with local, regional, and global development agendas, contributing directly and indirectly to climate change mitigation. The analytical techniques employed in this study encompassed panel regression and multiple linear regression, illuminating the specific contributions of each country to the study variables and their impact on carbon emissions. The findings suggest that gross domestic product (13 out of 42 countries), energy consumption (21 out of 42 countries), and trade openness (eight out of 42 countries) have a highly significant impact (p < 0.01) on carbon emissions in Asia. Energy consumption plays a vital role in increasing carbon emissions in Asia, driven by rising populations, urbanisation, and oil and gas production. Policymakers can take several actions such as adopting a carbon pricing system, using sustainable transportation, renewable energy development, and international cooperation within Asia to reach the goal of being carbon neutral by 2050.

Renewable energy consumption - financial globalization-tourism nexus with nonlinearity and cross-sectional dependence during Asia's carbon-free transition.

Adopting renewable energy consumption is one of the most important aspects of international efforts to combat climate change, improve energy security, and encourage the shift to a more robust and sustainable energy system. Therefore, the empirics and policymakers worldwide are searching for factors that can promote renewable energy consumption. This analysis intends to investigate the role of financial globalization and tourism on renewable energy consumption in Asia and sub-regions such as Central Asia, East Asia, South Asia, Southeast Asia, and West Asia. The analysis utilized the linear and nonlinear CS-ARDL methods. Long-run outcomes of the linear and nonlinear models confirm that a rise in financial globalization and tourism promotes renewable energy consumption in Asia and all sub-regions. However, the nonlinear model highlights that a fall in financial globalization hurts renewable energy consumption in Central and South Asian regions, and tourism only hurts renewable energy consumption in Asia. In addition, ICT, GDP, and GHG emissions help promote renewable energy consumption. These results suggest that Asian policymakers must increase collaboration in the financial sectors and promote sustainable tourism in the regions to promote renewable energy consumption.

A Systematic Review on Microplastic Contamination in Fishes of Asia: Polymeric Risk Assessment and Future Prospectives.

Microplastics (MPs) have attracted global concern because of their harmful effects on marine biota; their toxic properties can negatively impact aquatic ecosystems. Fish is an essential source of protein for humans, playing a crucial role in daily food intake. Until recently, MPs were addressed primarily as environmental pollutants, but they are now increasingly recognized as contaminants in the food supply. The present review has comprehended the current knowledge of MP contamination in freshwater and marine fishes of Asia, including 112 peer-reviewed sources from 2016 to 2023. The review recorded 422 Asian fishes (345 marine and 77 freshwater) to be contaminated with MPs. Clarias gariepinus and Selaroides leptolepi have shown maximum MP contamination in the freshwater and marine environments of Asia, respectively. Omnivorous and carnivorous fishes exhibited higher susceptibility to ingesting MPs. Benthopelagic, demersal, and reef-associated habitats were identified as more prone to MP accumulation. In both freshwater and marine environments, China has the highest number of contaminated species among all the countries. Pollution indices indicated high MP contamination in both freshwater and marine environments. A prevalence of fibers was recorded in all fishes. Black- and blue-colored MPs of <500 µm-1 mm size were found dominantly. Polyethylene terephthalate and polyethylene were recorded as the prevalent plastic polymers in freshwater and marine fish, respectively. Overall, the review served as a comprehensive understanding of MP concentrations and variations between species, between feeding habits, and between geographic locations, which can be pivotal for addressing pressing environmental challenges, protecting human health, and fostering global sustainability efforts in the face of escalating plastic pollution. Environ Toxicol Chem 2024;43:671-685. © 2024 SETAC.

Prevalence and disease burden of gastroparesis in Asia.

Gastroparesis is a gastrointestinal disorder characterized by significant prolongation of gastric emptying time caused by impaired motility of the stomach. Its estimated prevalence is 24.2 per 100 000 people. However, the prevalence of gastroparesis in Asian countries is unknown due to a limited number of epidemiological studies and significant phenotypic variability of the Asian population in these studies. Analysis of previous research on gastroparesis and functional bowel disorders reveals the possibility of an increased prevalence among Asian individuals. A comparison of ethnic constituents between the recent United Kingdom gastroparesis study and its mother database has demonstrated a higher prevalence of gastroparesis among British Asian patients when compared with British Caucasian patients. An estimated gastroparesis prevalence in the Asian population can be calculated by identifying the individuals who are likely to demonstrate a delayed gastric emptying from all diagnosed functional dyspepsia patients. We suggest that gastroparesis tends to be underdiagnosed in Asians due to a lack of studies on gastroparesis in the Asian continent, a lack of knowledge among practitioners, and poor availability of scintigraphy testing as well as limited therapeutic options for this disease. Given the high probability of Asian predominance in gastroparesis and its disease impact on quality of life, epidemiological research focusing on the Asian population is required.

Trade agreements and CO2 emissions in Asian countries: accounting for institutional heterogeneity.

This paper aims to measure the impact of environmental provisions in free-trade agreements on pollution levels in 40 Asian economies for the period 1990-2019. Following the failure of WTO negotiations, there has been a rapid proliferation of preferential trade agreements incorporating various types of environmental clauses. We exploit such changes to assess their influence on pollution emissions. We use a DOLS approach that considers the potential endogeneity of environmental clauses. Further, panel vector error correction models (VECM) are employed for examining the presence of a cointegration relationship among the variables studied. Overall, our findings indicate that these environmental clauses have heterogenous effects on CO2 emissions. We do not find significant effects of environmental clauses on pollution. However, this result is driven by environmental provisions that are not legally enforceable. We do find a positive effect of environmental clauses with a higher level of legalism on the environmental quality. These results show that the inclusion of environmental provisions in trade agreements is not sufficient by itself. Such provisions should incorporate a legally enforceable framework to effectively address environmental concerns. These findings have significant policy implications for Asian countries.

Green finance and environmental sustainability: a systematic review and future research avenues.

This study critically examines the dynamic interplay between green finance and environmental sustainability using a systematic review and bibliometric analysis. The analysis is centered on 507 scholarly articles published between 2013 and 2023 in the Scopus database and leverages Microsoft Excel, Harzing Publish or Perish, and VOSviewer to identify publication trends, key contributors, research impact, and emergent themes in this rapidly evolving field. The findings reveal that research on green finance and environmental sustainability has increased exponentially over the past decade, with China and institutions in Asia emerging as prominent contributors compared to other regions. This study also identified the Environmental Science and Pollution Research journal as the most active source title, demonstrating its commitment to publishing current findings on the topic. Through keyword analysis, several research avenues have been proposed to guide future research on enhancing the strategic role of green finance in promoting environmental sustainability. These avenues include broadening the geographical scope of research, exploring the synergies between green finance and emerging fintech innovations, developing robust metrics to quantify the socioeconomic impacts of green finance, establishing a risk and resilience framework to protect green finance against uncertainties, and creating a Green Finance Performance Index to evaluate the dual returns of environmental and financial performance.

A bibliometric evaluation and visualization of global solar power generation research: productivity, contributors and hot topics.

The demand for sustainable energy is increasingly urgent to mitigate global warming which has been exacerbated by the extensive use of fossil fuels. Solar energy has attracted global attention as a crucial renewable resource. This study conducted a bibliometric analysis based on publication metrics from the Web of Science database to gain insights into global solar power research. The results indicate a stable global increase in publications on solar power generation and a rise in citations, reflecting growing academic interest. Leading contributors include China, the USA, South Korea, Japan, and India, with the Chinese Academy of Sciences emerging as the most prolific institution. Multidisciplinary Materials Science, Applied Physics, Energy and Fuels, Physical Chemistry, and Nanoscience and Nanotechnology were the most used and promising subject categories. Current hot topics include the systematic analysis of photovoltaic systems, perovskite as a solar cell material, and focusing on stability and flexibility issues arising during photovoltaic-grid integration. This study facilitates a comprehensive understanding of the status and trends in solar power research for researchers, stakeholders, and policy-makers.