Does an environmental stringent policy really matter to achieve environmental sustainability in BRICS-T region? Evidence from novel method of moments quantile regression approach.

Amidst pressing global environmental challenges, exacerbated by climate change and the imminent threat of global warming, there is a critical need to assess the efficacy of environmental policies. This study centers its attention on the pivotal role of these policies in addressing environmental concerns. Specifically, our research aims to scrutinize the impact of stringent environmental policies on environmental quality under the theoretical underpinnings of environmental Kuznets curve. To achieve this objective, the study collected data from BRICS-T economies over the period of 1990-2020. This study employed the method of moments quantile regression technique for empirical analysis. Our study validates the presence of the Environmental Kuznets curve (EKC hypothesis). Empirical findings reveal the sustained significance of environmental stringency across all quantiles, demonstrating a positive correlation in lower quantiles and a negative correlation in higher quantiles. At lower quantiles, the impact is insignificant initially, but pronounced due to efficiency improvements induced by stringent policies. The effects became negative at middle quantiles, indicating stringent policies might encounter diminishing returns where policy measures start stabilizing ecological impacts. At higher quantiles, the influence of ESI remains significant, reflecting ongoing adaptations in larger economies with higher ecological footprints. This suggests the potential effectiveness of stringent regulatory measures in mitigating environmental impacts and reducing ecological footprints. The identified inverted U-shaped curve signifies that while stringent policies may not inherently enhance environmental health, beyond a certain threshold, they can indeed contribute to its improvement. Our policy recommendation advocates for the widespread adoption and promotion of such stringent measures to safeguard environmental health.

Testing the EKC hypothesis for ecological and carbon intensity of well-being: The role of forest extent.

The G-20 countries represent a considerable percentage of the global economy and are crucial in matters to do with support for environmental sustainability. The uniqueness of this study lies in determining the effects of forests on human well-being and environmental degradation with respect to G20, offering a unique perspective regarding the efforts to battle climate change. The study analyzed the impact of income, forest extent and education on ecological and carbon intensity of well-being following the Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) hypothesis. Based on annual data from 1990 to 2022 and employing the Method of Moments Quantile Regression, the results validate the presence of an inverted U-shaped relationship between GDP and environmental well-being which refers to the existence of EKC. Our results connect improved ecological and carbon intensity of well-being with expanding forest extent and improving education levels. Forest management combined with educational management work as an effective mechanism reducing environmental degradation while also positively contributing to human well-being. In addition, through these informed and rational decisions, policy makers can promote the environmental stability of forests.

Coxsackievirus A24 causing acute conjunctivitis in a 2023 outbreak in Vietnam.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the associated pathogen during the 2023 conjunctivitis outbreak in Vietnam METHODS: RNA-sequencing was used to identify pathogens before and during the outbreak. RESULTS: 24 patients with infectious conjunctivitis between March and October 2023 from Hai Yen Vision Institute in Vietnam were swabbed. Coxsackievirus A24v was the most common pathogen identified. Phylogenetic analysis of these strains demonstrates similarities to the Coxsackievirus identified in the 2022 India outbreak. Human adenovirus D was also circulating. Ocular findings of tearing, purulence, and itching were common in this outbreak. CONCLUSIONS: Multiple viruses can co-circulate during conjunctivitis outbreaks. Hemorrhagic conjunctivitis, commonly associated with coxsackievirus conjunctivitis, was not a common clinical sign in this outbreak. Repeat genetic surveillance, with the notable inclusion of RNA virus detection strategies, is important for outbreak detection.

The role of environmental tax on the environmental quality in EU counties: evidence from panel vector autoregression approach.

This study intends to analyze the influence of environmental taxes on pollution in EU-27 nations. Furthermore, energy from renewable sources consumption and urbanization are employed to clarify CO2 emissions in this study that tests the EKC hypothesis. According to the findings, an increase in environmental taxes reduces CO2 emissions by 0.14%. Also, the data supported the validity of the EKC concept. The findings of the causality test demonstrated that there is a bidirectional causal link between CO2 emissions and environmental taxes. These results reflect that environmental tax revenues contribute to sustainability as an effective policy tool in EU countries. Policies regarding environmental tax enforcement come to the fore in terms of both keeping the balance in economic activities and serving sustainability.

The impact of aggregated and disaggregated fisheries production and licensed fishermen on fishing grounds footprint: A time series analysis.

This study has examined the factors of fishing grounds footprint in Malaysia during 1961-2018, which has been used as the indicator of environmental degradation. The main contribution of this paper is that we have considered the role of aggregated and disaggregated fisheries production on pollution in the fishing industry. Another contribution of this study is that the environmental impact of activities of licensed fishermen has been examined. The results suggest that the total fisheries production and its components- capture fisheries production and aquaculture production generate an increase in fishing grounds footprint in Malaysia. The results suggest that an increase in total licensed fishermen facilitate an increase in fishing grounds footprint. There is mixed evidence on the impact of local fishermen on fishing footprint. The results indicate that an increase in foreign fishermen facilitate an increase in fishing grounds footprint. The results suggest mixed evidence for Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) hypothesis.

From black to green: Quantifying the impact of economic growth, resource management, and green technologies on CO2 emissions.

In an exploration of environmental concerns, this groundbreaking research delves into the relationship between GDP per capita, coal rents, forest rents, mineral rents, oil rents, natural gas rents, fossil fuels, renewables, environmental tax and environment-related technologies on CO2 emissions in 30 highly emitting countries from 1995 to 2021 using instrumental-variables regression Two-Stage least squares (IV-2SLS) regression and two-step system generalized method of moments (GMM) estimates. Our results indicate a significant positive relationship between economic growth and CO2 emissions across all quantiles, showcasing an EKC with diminishing marginal effects. Coal rents exhibit a statistically significant negative relationship with emissions, particularly in higher quantiles, and mineral rents show a negative association with CO2 emissions in lower and middle quantiles, reinforcing the idea of resource management in emissions reduction. Fossil fuels exert a considerable adverse impact on emissions, with a rising effect in progressive quantiles. Conversely, renewable energy significantly curtails CO2 emissions, with higher impacts in lower quantiles. Environmental tax also mitigates CO2 emissions. Environment-related technologies play a pivotal role in emission reduction, particularly in lower and middle quantiles, emphasizing the need for innovative solutions. These findings provide valuable insights for policymakers, highlighting the importance of tailoring interventions to different emission levels and leveraging diverse strategies for sustainable development.

Intelligence and its effects on environmental decline: A worldwide analysis.

The research investigates the relationship between intelligence quotient (IQ) and environmental degradation, aiming to understand how cognitive abilities influence environmental outcomes across different nations and time periods. The objective is to examine the impact of intelligence quotient (IQ) on environmental indicators such as carbon emissions, ecological demand, and the Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC), seeking insights to inform environmental policy and stewardship. The study utilizes statistical techniques including Ordinary Least Squares (OLS), Two Stage Least Squares (2SLS), and Iteratively Weighted Least Squares (IWLS) to analyze data from 147 nations over the years 2000-2017. These methods are applied to explore the relationship between IQ and environmental metrics while considering other relevant variables. The findings reveal unexpected positive associations between human intelligence quotient and carbon emissions, as well as ecological demand, challenging conventional notions of "delay discounting." Additionally, variations in the Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) hypothesis are identified across different pollutants, highlighting the roles of governance and international commitments in mitigating emissions. The study concludes by advocating for the adoption of a "delay discounting culture" to address environmental challenges effectively. It underscores the complex interactions between intelligence, governance, and population dynamics in shaping environmental outcomes, emphasizing the need for targeted policies to achieve sustainability objectives.

Assessing the environmental sustainability gap in G20 economies: The roles of economic growth, energy mix, foreign direct investment, and population.

There is serious debate among researchers regarding the sustainability implications of economic prosperity and energy dependence. Energy consumption has a critical linkage with economic growth, but it also degrades environmental quality. Therefore, it is important to investigate the relationship between economic growth, the energy mix, and environmental sustainability. However, empirical literature utilizes narrow variables to capture environmental sustainability. Because of this, this research introduces a new environmental sustainability variable using entropy weighting and combining deforestation, household carbon emissions, and life expectancy. This study examines the relationship between environmental sustainability, economic growth, and other selected variables using data from 2002 to 2019 for the G20 and its high-, upper-, and low-middle-income member countries. Since shocks in one G20 country can affect another, this study uses the Augmented Mean Group (AMG) technique for empirical analysis. The results of this study indicate that Gross Domestic Product (EG) and its square term did not support the Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) theory. The energy mix has a positive impact on the environmental sustainability gap across all the samples except for the upper-middle-income group. Foreign direct investment positively affects this gap, while population growth has no significant impact. These findings demonstrate that policymakers should support environmentally friendly and clean energy sources to foster long-term economic growth and sustainability.

Revisiting the EKC framework concerning COP-28 carbon neutrality management: Evidence from Top-5 carbon embittering countries.

In the aftermath of the 28th Conference of the Parties (CoP) climate summit in the UAE, the majority of developing countries encounter challenges in attaining their objectives of carbon neutrality for a sustainable economy. The association of economic factors such as economic growth, governance structures, forest area, renewable energy consumption, technological innovation, and urbanization with environmental elements (carbon footprint) is vital for sustainable economic development and environmental management strategies. Therefore, this research reveals this association in five selected high-emitting countries spanning from 1990 to 2022. This research utilizes the Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) framework to investigate the interrelationship between these variables. To do so, this study employs the cross-sectional autoregressive distributed lags (CS-ARDL) statistical technique to determine the short- and long-term impacts of the variables under investigation on carbon footprint. In contrast, the mean group (MG) and common correlated effect mean group (CCEMG) have been applied for robustness. The findings revealed that GDP, urbanization, and forest area have positive associations with carbon footprints, whereas GDP square, renewable energy consumption, technological innovation, and governance effectiveness have inverse relationships with carbon footprints. These findings provide all stakeholders with valuable policy recommendations and management advice for accelerating the transition of renewable energy to low-carbon and green growth.

Exploring the asymmetric effect of fiscal policy instruments in encountering environmental degradation: proposing an SDG framework for India.

Asian countries are facing difficulties in attaining sustainable development goals (SDGs), and India is not an exception to it, with environmental degradation being one of the primary issues. Therefore, a policy-level reorientation may be required to address it. From this standpoint, fiscal policy instruments may come in handy towards fully integrating the SDGs into its agenda. The present investigation designs an SDG framework for India that could serve as an example for other Asian nations. This study introduces a new investigation exploring the relationship between fiscal policy instruments and environmental quality in India by examining the environmental Kuznets curve (EKC) hypothesis from 1990 to 2021. A nonlinear autoregressive distributed lag (NARDL) model is applied for empirical examination. The findings indicate that positive and negative shocks in fiscal policy instruments have significant impact on carbon emissions in both the long and short run. The study has also found evidence of an "inverted U-shape" EKC for India. These results are valuable from a policy perspective for India and other Asian countries to address environmental issues. The study has also outlined potential outcomes that may benefit India's fiscal policy in resolving environmental issues and attaining better economic growth. In the end, the study proposes a policy framework that supports SDG 7, SDG 8, SDG 12, SDG 13, and SDG 17 objectives.

The impact of technological innovations on the environmental Kuznets curve: evidence from EU-27.

The EKC hypothesis expresses the inverted U-shaped relationship between per capita income and environmental quality. In the literature, the role of technological innovations and income inequality on pollution is a relatively recent discussion in the studies testing the EKC hypothesis. The aim of this paper is to investigate the impact of technological innovations, income inequality, exports, urbanization, and growth on CO2 emissions in EU-27. In addition, while investigating this relationship, exports and urbanization are also considered and panel vector autoregression (PVAR) analysis is applied for the 2005-2019 period. According to the coefficient estimation results, while income inequality, exports, and urbanization increase pollution, technological innovations contribute to environmental quality. Also, the results demonstrated that the EKC hypothesis is invalid in these countries and there is a U-shaped relationship between growth and emissions. The causality test results revealed the presence of unidirectional causality running from all explanatory variables to CO2 emissions. Moreover, impulse-response graphs demonstrated that the reply of emissions to the shocks in the explanatory variables is similar to the long-run coefficient results. In conclusion, all available empirical evidence for this relationship highlights that income inequality and technological innovations should be considered in policy-making processes to ensure environmental quality in EU-27 countries.

Study on industrial carbon emissions in China based on GDIM decomposition method and two decoupling effects.

The driving factors of China's industrial carbon emissions are decomposed by generalized Divisia index method (GDIM), so as to study the reasons for the change of China's industrial carbon emissions. The decoupling effect of China's industrial carbon emissions and economic growth is examined by speed decoupling and quantity decoupling. The speed decoupling is calculated by Tapio decoupling elasticity and emission reduction effort function, and the quantity decoupling is measured by environmental Kuznets curve (EKC). The results show that the positive driving factors are output size effect > industrial energy consumption effect > population size effect, and the negative driving factors are investment carbon emission effect > output carbon intensity effect > per capita output effect > economic efficiency effect > energy intensity effect. The elasticity of emission reduction is basically greater than that of energy conservation, indicating that there is still abundant room for efforts in emission reduction. The overall decoupling effect of carbon emissions is undecoupling-strong decoupling-undecoupling. Quadratic EKC shape is "U" shape, and the inflection point is 11.0987; the shape of cubic EKC is "N," and the inflection points are - 0.0137 and 2.4069, respectively, which satisfies the hypothesis of EKC curve.

The validity of the environmental Kuznets curve in the presence of long-run civil wars: A case of Afghanistan.

The war in Afghanistan left significantly negative consequences in all spheres of its society, leading the country to the highest levels of poverty, hunger, and environmental damage. This study explores the long-run impact of civil wars on environmental degradation in Afghanistan using the conceptual framework of the Environmental Kuznets Curve and models augmented with pollutants, civil wars, comprehensive financial development index, and macroeconomic predictors on a set of data from the first quarter of 2002 to the first quarter of 2020. However, while the results confirm long-run relationships amid indicators by the autoregressive distributed lags bound test, the results of the vector error-correcting model to Granger causality reveal bidirectional causality links between CO2 emissions, per capita real GDP, civil wars, the financial development index, energy consumption, trade openness, and the inflation rate in the long-run, while the findings extend to confirm multidimensionality and interdependencies among predictors in the short-run. Moreover, the results indicate dual findings. First, it confirms that civil wars, the financial development index, per capita real gross domestic product, population growth, and the inflation rate significantly increase CO2 emissions, while the squared per capita real gross domestic product, energy consumption, and trade openness reduce CO2 emissions both in the short and long runs. Second, the results confirm an inverted U-shaped relationship, supporting the validity of the Environmental Kuznets Curve hypothesis in Afghanistan. Based on the findings, appropriate policy measures are recommended.

How do energy consumption, globalization, and income inequality affect environmental quality across growth regimes?

This paper investigates the impacts of renewable and nonrenewable energy consumption, income inequality, and globalization on the ecological footprints of 49 countries for the period of 1995-2018. Panel cointegration test reveals a long-run relationship between the variables. Long-run parameter estimates derived from AMG and CCEMG, increasing income and nonrenewable energy consumption, have a significant positive impact on the ecological footprint, while countries that consume more renewable energy have seen an improvement in the quality of the environment. Conversely, neither income inequality nor globalization has a significant effect on national EFs. Evidence from the estimation of the panel threshold error correction model, where GDP growth is used as the transition variable, indicates a significant threshold effect, which supports a nonlinear relationship among the variables by identifying two distinct growth regimes: lower and upper. For the estimation sample, the positive and significant parameter estimates for economic growth in both growth regimes do not support the EKC hypothesis. The results indicate that renewable and nonrenewable energy consumption has a larger impact on the EF in the upper than lower growth regime. The threshold estimates are in line with the linear long-run estimates that do not indicate that income inequality has a significant impact on ecological footprint. However, globalization appears to negatively affect environmental quality in the lower growth regime.

Technology transfer for green investments: exploring how technology transfer through foreign direct investments can contribute to sustainable practices and reduced environmental impact in OIC economies.

Estimating the asymmetrical influence of foreign direct investment is the primary goal of the current study. In addition, further controlled variables affect environmental degradation in OIC nations. Due to this, current research employs the asymmetric (NPARDL) approach and the data period from 1980 to 2021 to estimate about viability of the EKC (environmental Kuznets curve) theory. The study utilized greenhouse gas (GHG) including emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2), nitrous oxide (N2O), methane (CH4), and ecological footprint as substantial parameters of environmental quality. A nonlinear link between foreign direct investments, trade openness, economic growth, urbanization, energy consumption, and environmental pollution with CO2, N2O, CH4, and ecological footprint in the OIC nations is confirmed by the study's outcomes, which however reveals inconsistent results. Furthermore, the results also show that wrong conclusions might result from disregarding intrinsic nonlinearities. The study's conclusions provide the most important recommendations for decision-makers.

The existence of environmental Kuznets curve: Critical look and future implications for environmental management.

Against the backdrop of the great challenge of climate change and growing global environmental concerns, this study deals a systematic literature review of research related to Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) from 1991 to 2023, details the background, definition, significance, critiques, theoretical foundations and model specifications of EKC, and summarizes the data, variables, econometric methods and findings used in over 100 EKC studies. This study focuses on EKC studies that examine the relationship between energy consumption, economic growth and environmental degradation, with most of the studies reviewed using global pollutants (carbon emissions) to measure the level of environmental degradation. This study found that EKC still has great research potential, and with the development of energy diversification, energy consumption in EKC studies have been further subdivided into renewable or non-renewable energy consumption; innovative EKC studies in the last few years have favoured the use of novel environmental and economic indicators and econometric method, and have validated the existence of EKC at the sectoral level rather than the national level. Finally, the present study summarizes the development and innovations of EKC and provides suggestions for future research aimed at advancing the development of EKC and environmental management.

Revisiting the Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) Hypothesis of Carbon Emissions: Exploring the Impact of Geopolitical Risks, Natural Resource Rents, Corrupt Governance, and Energy Intensity.

The global imperative to mitigate carbon emissions for sustainable development has spurred extensive research into economic, social, and energy-related factors. However, prior studies present a complex landscape, yielding mixed conclusions regarding the influence of geopolitical risk, natural resource rents, corrupt governance, and energy intensity. To untangle this ambiguity, we construct a research model grounded in the Environmental Kuznets Curve, employing panel data from 38 countries spanning 2002 to 2020. Employing panel quantile regression models, we directly assess the impact of identified factors. Our findings affirm the alignment between economic growth and carbon emissions, supporting the Environmental Kuznets Curve hypothesis. Notably, increased geopolitical risk and energy intensity correlate with heightened carbon emissions over time, while corruption governance and natural resource rents exhibit a mitigating effect. Additionally, our study explores the indirect impact of these factors using a panel threshold regression model. Results indicate a diminishing influence of economic growth on carbon emissions. Intriguingly, natural resource rents initially curtail, then amplify the connection between economic growth and carbon emissions. Conversely, rising energy intensity magnifies the relationship between economic expansion and carbon emissions.

Examination of the factors contributing to environmental degradation: does LPG consumption still matter?

Liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) is one of the energy resources that deserve to be qualified as a transition fuel for developing countries that cannot abandon their dependence on non-renewable energy use and adopt renewable alternatives. The current study examines how environmental degradation is affected by financial development, LPG use, and economic growth in the BRICS-T countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, and Turkiye) in the period of 1993-2018. For this purpose, four models were tested with Pedroni, Kao, PMG Panel ARDL cointegration and Dumitrescu-Hurlin causality methods. The results show that LPG consumption has a positive effect on the ecological footprint and an adverse influence on the CO2 emission of BRICS - T countries. The financial institutions exhibited to have a positive and significant impact on ecology. Economic growth displayed negative effects on environmental degradation and a positive influence on CO2. Additionally, there is significant evidence for the validity of the EKC hypothesis. Unidirectional causality exists between ecological footprint, LPG, financial market, and economic growth. The financial institution index shows bidirectional causality with the ecological footprint. There is also unidirectional causality between ecological footprint, LPG, financial market, and economic growth. Furthermore, the financial institutions' index shows a bidirectional causality with the ecological footprint. Also, economic development and financial institution index have a bidirectional relationship with CO2 emissions. On the other hand, the financial market index showed unidirectional causality with CO2 emissions. In short, our study highlights the need for a comprehensive and integrated approach to sustainable development in BRICS - T countries. Policymakers must balance economic growth with environmental protection and consider the potential trade-offs between policy options to promote sustainable and inclusive development.

An EKC-based modelling of CO2 emissions, economic growth, electricity consumption and trade openness in Serbia.

Understanding the complex interactions between the economy and the environment is crucial for promoting sustainable development and mitigating the negative impact of human activities on the Planet. The importance of this issue for Serbia is evident as the country strives to balance economic growth and environmental protection to ensure a sustainable and resilient future. Therefore, the main objective of this study is to investigate and model the relationship between CO2 emissions, economic growth, electricity consumption, and trade openness in Serbia. Initially, an Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) model is used to characterize the Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) using data from the period from 1995 to 2019, followed by the construction of a bootstrap logistic regression model to predict environmental quality in Serbia. Long-term estimates of the model confirm an inverted U-shaped relationship, where all three variables exert a statistically significant influence on CO2 emissions. In the short run, however, a causal relationship is only observed between electricity consumption and CO2 emissions. The logistic regression results show that all three factors significantly influence environmental quality. The study proposes policy recommendations for Serbia, such as promoting sustainable economic growth, implementing long-term programs to reduce CO2 emissions, reviewing trade policies to prioritize sustainable practices, and investing in renewable energy sources to reduce emissions.

Renewable and non-renewable energy consumption, energy technology investment, green technological innovation, and environmental sustainability in the United States: Testing the EKC and LCC hypotheses with novel Fourier estimation.

The energy sector represents one of the key contributors to environmental degradation. In this context, actions taken within the energy sector are paramount in the global effort to combat climate change. This study aims to investigate the impacts of renewable and non-renewable energy consumption, energy technology investment, and green technological innovation on environmental sustainability in the context of EKC and LCC hypotheses in the USA from 1980 to 2015. While many studies in the literature focus on the EKC hypothesis, this study offers a comparative analysis of the EKC and LCC hypotheses with relevant variables. For this aim, the study uses the novel Fourier estimation methods. According to the results, the EKC and the LCC hypotheses are valid in the USA. Moreover, non-renewable energy consumption increases the ecological footprint. On the other hand, non-renewable energy consumption decreases the load capacity factor while renewable energy consumption increases it. Finally, energy technology investment and green technological innovation have an insignificant impact on the ecological footprint and the load capacity factor in both models. All results except energy technology investment and green technological innovation are consistent with our expectations. The USA has the potential to realize green growth. Policymakers should support the green technological innovation process and increase green investments.