Modelling the effects of energy diversification on ecological footprint: evidence from Côte d'Ivoire

Transiting toward sustainable development: stochastic convergence of energy diversification using a newly constructed index

An optimal energy mix is a sine qua non for sustainable development. However, the global energy mix is sub-optimally dominated by fossils which endangers energy security and threatens the attainment of sustainable development. Understanding the convergence of energy series can assist the transition path to optimal energy mix and sustainable development. Thus, research on the convergence of several energy series has gained prominence in recent years. This study extends this important niche in the literature on the convergence of natural resources and environmental series by examining the convergence in energy diversification along several dimensions for a panel of 79 lower-middle, higher-middle, and high-income countries. As a departure from the existing studies, the study employs a novel methodology that allows abrupt or smooth changes through the Fourier approximation of smooth breaks, while including factor structures to test for the presence of unit roots in the relative energy diversification series. The results provide evidence of convergence of the energy diversification series in the majority of the considered countries, with 90% of the sample demonstrating convergence. A disaggregated country analysis was conducted and the findings show that 93% of the lower-middle-income countries are converging, while 95% of the upper-middle-income countries and 87% of the high-income countries are converging. Policy implications of the findings are also discussed.

Economic globalization-energy diversification nexus and implications for environmental management in China

Every nation on earth has the responsibility to implement effective environmental management measures for sustainable environmental quality. In doing so, this study scrutinizes the relationship between economic globalisation and energy diversification in the Chinese economy from 1995 to 2022 for designing and implanting policies for environmental management. It uses industrialization, foreign direct investment, foreign remittances, and information & communication technology as supplementary factors into augmented energy diversification demand function. This empirical analysis shows cointegration between the variables, with economic globalisation positively impacting energy diversification. Factors such as foreign direct investment, foreign remittances, and information & communication technology contribute to energy diversity. However, industrialization has an adverse relationship with energy diversification. The relationship forms an inverted-U shaped between economic globalization and energy diversification. Our causality analysis indicates that economic globalization positively causes energy diversification. This study also reveals a reciprocal and beneficial cause-and-effect association between foreign direct investment and energy diversification. Lastly, foreign remittances and information & communication technologies positively cause energy diversification.

Degree of persistence of energy mix diversification of the US states: fresh evidence using LM unit root tests with sharp or smooth breaks and cross-sectional dependence

Diversification of energy mix is related to the heterogeneity of contributions of energy sources in the energy consumption basket of nations. Its persistent degree reveals the efficiency of energy-related policies or shocks to diversify the contributions of energy sources in the energy mix. For the first time, the current study measures the diversification level of energy mix of the USA and its 51 states and examines its stochastic behavior to analyze its degree of persistence. To this end, we calculated the diversification of energy mix using Herfindahl-Hirschman index over the period 1960-2020. Then, we applied two novel versions of LM unit root tests that can incorporate sharp or smooth breaks and common factors (to control for cross-sectional dependence) to quantify the stochastic behavior of time series of Herfindahl-Hirschman index. Our results indicate (i) the energy mix of most of the US states diversified over the period. (ii) Most parts of diversification of energy mix occurred from mid of the 1970s to first half of the 1990s. (iii) Sharp breaks of deterministic part (intercept and slope of the linear trend) of Herfindahl-Hirschman indexes occurred coinciding with oil prices shocks in two decades 1970 and 1980. (iv) The Herfindahl-Hirschman index of most of states display stationary behavior, which indicate the pro-diversification policies, e.g., which are implemented to develop renewable energy sources, have transitory effects and policymakers should implement long-horizon policies to achieve their targeted level of diversification.

Promoting Effects of the Exercise Behavioral Ecological Model on Physical Activity Behaviors of Students

Objectives: In this study, we explored the promoting effects of the Exercise Behavioral Ecological Model on the physical activity behaviors of middle school students, and relevant risk factors for physical inactivity. Methods: A total of 291 middle school students (junior and senior high school students) were enrolled as the research participants. The sedentary behavior of middle school students was assessed using the Adolescent Sedentary Behavior Scale. We used the Exercise Behavioral Ecological Model to influence the exercise behaviors of middle school students from the perspectives of environment, physiology, and psychology. Then the independent risk factors for physical inactivity behaviors of middle school students were analyzed by means of multivariate logistic regression analysis. Results: The change strategy, positive effect on decision-making balance, and self- efficacy scores were higher and the negative effect on decision-making balance score was lower than those before intervention (p<.05). Multivariate logistic regression analysis denoted that grade (senior high school students), sedentary time (> 4 hours), daily TV watching time (>2 hours) and change stage (pre-contemplation stage) were associated risk factors for physical inactivity among middle school students (p <.05). Conclusions: The Exercise Behavioral Ecological Model can facilitate physical activity and reduce sedentary behavior.