Economic Growth and Environmental Quality: Analysis of Government Expenditure and the Causal Effect.

Environmental expenditures (EX) are made by the government and industries which are either long-term or short-term investments. The principal target of EX is to eliminate environmental hazards, promote sustainable natural resources, and improve environmental quality (EQ). Thus, this study looks at the impact of economic growth (EG), and government finance expenditure (GEX) on EQ in Northern Africa and Southern Africa (NASA) republics from 2000-2016. The panel quantile regression (PQR) and panel vector autoregressive (PVAR) model in a generalized method of moment framework (GMM) were employed as a framework. The PQR results show that; (i) In Northern republics, GEX had a significant positive effect on EQ at 25%, 50%, and 75% quantiles levels. (ii) In the Southern republics, GEX had a significant negative impact on EQ at 25%. Moreover, the PVAR through the GMM established that EG and GEX are significantly positive while the parameter for CO2 is insignificant and negative in the North. However, in the South, GEX and CO2 were statistically significant, while EG positively impacts EQ. Lastly, the granger causality report in North indicates uni-directional causation running from LNGEX → LNGDPpc, LNCO2 → LNGDPpc, LNFF → LNGEX, and LNFDI → LNGEX. Similarly, there is uni-directional causation in South republics from LNGEX → LNGDPpc, LNCO2 → LNGEX, and LNFDI → LNGEX.

Trade openness and CO2 emanations: a heterogeneous analysis on the developing eight (D8) countries.

The focus of this exploration was to examine the linkage between trade openness and CO2 effusions in the developing eight (D8) countries. An unbalanced panel dataset spanning the period 1990 to 2016 was employed for the study's analysis. From the results, the studied panel was heterogeneous and cross-sectionally correlated. Also, all the series gained stationarity after first difference and were materially cointegrated in the long run. The elastic effects of the input variables on the output variable were explored through the DCCEMG estimator, with the support of the AMG and the CCEMG estimators. From the results, trade openness increased CO2 emanations in the D8. Also, economic growth, energy consumption, and financial development promoted CO2 secretions in the nations; however, foreign direct investments mitigated the excretion of CO2 in the countries. On the causal connections amid the series, there was a bidirectional causality between trade openness and CO2 emanations. Also, a one-way causal movement from energy consumption, foreign direct investments, and financial development to CO2 effluents was discovered. Based on the findings, it was recommended among others that effective trade policies that could enhance the transfer of cleaner technologies to the countries should be formulated.

The link between carbon emissions, renewable energy consumption, and economic growth: a heterogeneous panel evidence from West Africa.

This study examined the nexus between carbon emissions, renewable energy consumption, and the economic growth of West African countries for the period 1990 to 2018. To be able to uncover reliable and valid findings, more robust panel estimation methods were employed for the study. From the heterogeneity and cross-sectional dependence tests, the study's panels were heterogeneous and cross-sectionally dependent. Also, all the series were non-stationary at levels, but gained stationarity after first difference. Further, the Fisher test and the Westerlund and Edgerton bootstrap test found the variables to be cointegrated in the long run. The CCEMG and the DCCEMG estimators were used to explore the long-run equilibrium relationship amid the series, and from the results of the whole sample, CO2 emissions and renewable energy consumption (REC) had no vital influence on economic growth (GDP) in both estimators. However, the results were a bit different in the sub-panels. Also from the whole sample, control variables urbanization (URB) and population growth (POP) had no material effect on GDP in both estimators. The results were, however, dissimilar in the sub-panels. Finally, the Dumitrescu-Hurlin test was employed to examine the causalities amid the series, and the results were diverse in the various panels. Policy recommendations are further discussed.