The impact of economic uncertainty, economic growth and energy consumption on environmental degradation in MENA countries: Fresh insights from multiple thresholds NARDL approach

Does economic complexity help in achieving environmental sustainability? New empirical evidence from N-11 countries

In view of the SDGs argued by UNO, it is vital to address the pressing issues regarding sustainable development. The aim of current study is to investigate the impact of economic complexity (ECC) on environmental sustainability. To achieve this aim, we sampled the 25 years of data of Next-11 countries over the period 1995 to 2019. The economic complexity was measured by the economic complexity index (ECI) while environmental sustainability was measured by two proxy variables including CO2 and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The empirical analysis was established by utilizing the unit root test, cointegration test, FMOLS (fully modified OLS) and DOLS (dynamic OLS) models. The estimated coefficient values disclosed that ECC has a negative and statistically significant relationship with both CO2 and GHG emissions in the long run, implying that ECC ensured environmental sustainability. In addition, the analysis reveals that financial development has a negative while economic growth and energy imports have a positive and statistically significant association with both CO2 and GHG emissions. The findings of the current study suggested an important policy regarding the focus on ECC for achieving environmental sustainability in underlying economies. This study provides robustness to the existing literature in alternative data settings (N-11 countries) and by the unique objective of focusing on environmental sustainability.

Unveiling asymmetry impacts of economic policy uncertainty on climate change: fresh insights into African Countries

This study investigates the influence of economic policy uncertainty on climate change in selected African countries within asymmetric settings. Although previous research has examined the impact of various economic factors on climate change, the asymmetric effects of economic policy uncertainty have not been thoroughly explored, particularly in African countries. We analyze annual data spanning from 1980 to 2017 by utilizing three models: Panel Pooled Mean Group-Autoregressive distributed lag model (ARDL-PMG), Panel Pooled Mean Group-non-linear autoregressive distributed lag model (NARDL-PMG), and Dumitrescu-Hurlin asymmetric causality tests. According to the results of ARDL-PMG estimation, economic policy uncertainty has a detrimental impact on climate change in the long run. However, the NARDL-PMG estimation suggests that a positive shock in economic policy uncertainty negatively affects long-term climate change mitigation. However, a negative shock has a beneficial effect on climate change in the long term. In African nations, positive and negative changes in economic policy uncertainty failed to generate any significant climate change effects in the short run. The results also reveal that both positive and negative shocks in economic policy may cause climate change in a one-way direction. Based on the findings of our study, we recommend that African policymakers implement programs aimed at reducing economic policy uncertainties to help mitigate the effects of climate change.

Impact of economic policy uncertainty and renewable energy on environmental quality: testing the LCC hypothesis for fast growing economies

This study investigates the influence of economic policy uncertainty and trade openness on load capacity factor for fast growing countries for time period of 1996-2019. The empirical outcomes verify the presence of the LCC hypothesis in fast growing economies. Results also show that economic policy uncertainty reduces environmental quality for lower quantiles, whereas renewable energy consumption is a useful tool for improving environmental quality. Moreover, the negative sign of the coefficient of trade openness demonstrates that the current pattern of trade is not providing the desired outcomes. Based on these empirical findings, we suggest a comprehensive policy framework to attain the targets of SDG 07 (renewable energy), SDG 08 (economic growth), and SDG 13 (climate action).

Moderating effect of governance on healthcare and environmental emissions

Governance has become indispensable within the healthcare sector, but previous studies have not explored the potential environmental benefits linked to healthcare governance. Thus, this study focuses on the role of governance in moderating healthcare and environmental emissions in 159 low, lower-middle, upper-middle and high-income countries. To do so, cross-sectional autoregressive distributed lag (CS-ARDL) techniques were applied using panel data from 1999 to 2021, followed by the computation of threshold and marginal effect of governance on healthcare and environmental emissions nexus. Findings revealed that, with the exception of high-income countries in the short run, governance has an insignificant impact on healthcare and emissions nexus in low-, lower-middle and upper-middle-income countries. Surprisingly, the findings imply that, in the long run, countries with greater levels of governance are likely to have lesser environmental impacts related to healthcare. There was also evidence indicating that low, lower-middle, upper-middle and high-income countries must reach a certain level of governance before realising the benefits of healthcare. Therefore, to achieve lower environmental impacts from healthcare, countries must promote effective governance policies that can incentivise and enforce sustainable practices and technologies in the healthcare sector.

Optimal controller design for reactor core power stabilization in a pressurized water reactor: Applications of gold rush algorithm

Nuclear energy (NE) is seen as a reliable choice for ensuring the security of the world's energy supply, and it has only lately begun to be advocated as a strategy for reducing climate change in order to meet low-carbon energy transition goals. To achieve flexible operation across a wide operating range when it participates in peak regulation in the power systems, the pressurised water reactor (PWR) NE systems must overcome the nonlinearity problem induced by the substantial variation. In light of this viewpoint, the objective of this work is to evaluate the reactor core (main component) of the NE system via different recent optimization techniques. The PWR, which is the most common form, is the reactor under investigation. For controlling the movement of control rods that correspond with reactivity for power regulation the PWR, PID controller is employed. This study presents a dynamic model of the PWR, which includes the reactor core, the upper and lower plenums, and the piping that connects the reactor core to the steam alternator is analyzed and investigated. The PWR dynamic model is controlled by a PID controller optimized by the gold rush optimizer (GRO) built on the integration of the time-weighted square error performance indicator. Additionally, to exhibit the efficacy of the presented GRO, the dragonfly approach, Arithmetic algorithm, and planet optimization algorithm are used to adjust the PID controller parameters. Furthermore, a comparison among the optimized PID gains with the applied algorithms shows great accuracy, efficacy, and effectiveness of the proposed GRO. MATLAB\ Simulink program is used to model and simulate the system components and the applied algorithms. The simulation findings demonstrate that the suggested optimized PID control strategy has superior efficiency and resilience in terms of less overshoot and settling time.

Collectivist culture, environmental regulation and pollution emissions: evidence from China

Collectivist culture serves as a significant cultural foundation in China. It could, to some extent, shape public attitudes toward the environment and thus influence the implementation of related policies. To examine this hypothesis, this study constructs the collectivist culture intensity index for 25 Chinese provinces spanning from 2010 to 2020. Through a fixed-effect model, we explore how the collectivist culture intensity affects pollution emissions in China. The empirical results indicate the significance of collectivism in enhancing emission reduction through environmental regulations. This conclusion remains robust even when excluding the impact of endogeneity concerns by adopting the instrumental variable approach. Heterogeneity analysis shows that collectivism is more effective in enhancing market-based environmental regulations rather than those driven by policies. Further mechanism analysis confirms that green innovation is a crucial pathway through which collectivism influences pollution emissions. These findings here will offer guidance to policymakers when formulating environmental policies for contexts with different regional cultures.

The effects of carbon inequality on economic growth: new evidence from MENA region

This study emphasizes the impact of carbon inequality on the economic growth of Middle East-North African (MENA) economies from 1995 to 2019. By employing the panel cross-sectionally augmented autoregressive distributed lags method (Chudik and Pesaran 2015), we explored the effect of the carbon footprint of top-income classes on economic performance in both the short and long term. The empirical results assume that carbon inequality indicators boost economic growth in the short and long run. In other words, economic growth may be slowed when carbon inequality is reduced. Our study has important implications for climate policy in the MENA region. In this context, relying on a carbon tax can increase business costs and reduce investment incentives leading to a decline in growth. Governments should adopt a more comprehensive approach incorporating other policy instruments such as nudging techniques, financial incentives, and public awareness campaigns. As a result, wealthy people will be encouraged to promote sustainable choices and behaviors that guarantee the progressive transition to low-carbon activities without hurting economic growth.

Role of renewable and non-renewable energy consumption in environmental quality and their subsequent effects on average temperature: an assessment of sustainable development goals in South Korea

Environmental quality is a global concern, and an accurate assessment of environmental progress has emerged as a key element in achieving sustainable development goals. The study offers a two-pronged contribution by analyzing the interplay between renewable energy consumption, traditional energy consumption, and urbanization on environmental quality while simultaneously testing the impact of environmental quality on average temperature. Distinguishing itself from prior research, the study employs both carbon emissions and ecological footprint to ensure an intricate and reliable analysis. Current study analyzes data from 1970 to 2022 from South Korea to indicate that energy-environment association is influenced by energy consumption, urbanization, and economic growth, while renewable energy consumption is key in long-term environmental sustainability. Our extensive econometric analysis allows us to suggest that South Korea need to prioritize renewable energy, and green growth is prioritized so that economic growth and green agenda are synchronized to overcome environmental challenges. Addictingly, there is need to devise long-term environmental policies to strengthen the role of environmental innovation in energy productivity and boost renewable energy consumption.

Is fiscal deficit 'curse' or 'haven' for environmental quality in India? Empirical investigation employing battery of distinct ARDL approaches

Undoubtedly, throughout the past half-century, environmental quality has emerged as a significant obstacle to both economic and social endeavors. Recent local and international policy debates have focused on environmental deterioration and global warming, but how governments balance economic growth and environmental sustainability is still enigmatic. For this reason, we have examined the determinants of environmental quality in India from 1972 to 2021. More specifically, we have investigated whether the fiscal deficit is 'curse' or 'haven' for environmental quality (CO2) in India. Moreover, this study deliberated four other predictors, comprising technological development (TIN), fossil fuel consumption (FFC), urbanization (Ub), and human capital index (HCI). In order to attain this objective, a range of econometric estimation techniques are employed to ensure the validity and reliability of the outcomes. For instance, we have employed a battery of ARDL approaches, such as standard ARDL, nonlinear ARDL, and multiple threshold NARDL approaches. In light of our research findings, we will be focusing directly on the examination of the NARDL and MTNARDL outcomes. This is due to the empirical evidence indicating the existence of asymmetric effects resulting from FD on CO2 emissions in India. The NARDL approach reveals that the consequence of fiscal deterioration is more pronounced, and the influence of fiscal progress is mild in terms of CO2 emission growth. Further, the outcomes of the MTNARDL approach revealed that the size of the extremely low changes in FD is much higher than the extremely high changes in FD in both models. This implies that as the FD rises, CO2 ascends more significantly, and when the FD lowers, CO2 declines progressively. In a nutshell, FD has a long-run positive and asymmetric impact on CO2 in India; thus, we may conclude that FD is considered the 'curse' for CO2 in India. Furthermore, TIN, HCI, and Ub have detrimental effects on CO2, whereas FFC stimulates CO2 in India. This research work provides some important policy implications for environmentalists, economists and macroeconomic policymakers to promote a green and healthy environment.

Institutional quality, oil price, and environmental degradation in MENA countries moderated by economic complexity and shadow economy

This paper aims to analyze the link between environmental degradation and institutional quality and the price of oil moderated by economic complexity and the underground economy. We use quantile regressions with annual panel data for 15 countries in the Middle East and North Africa during 1995-2021. The findings indicate that institutional quality, economic complexity, and output positively and heterogeneously impact environmental degradation. However, the square of production has a negative impact, confirming an inverted U relationship between production and environmental degradation. Likewise, we find that the price of oil and the underground economy have a negative and heterogeneous impact on environmental degradation. Based on our results, a potential recommendation for policymakers is that the institutional framework of Middle Eastern and North African countries should be accompanied by a more significant concern for the environment instead of prioritizing extractive growth that is detrimental to the environment's environmental sustainability. Likewise, economic diversification will mitigate environmental degradation and improve formal employment. Our findings are relevant to policymakers and researchers interested in promoting ecological sustainability.

Examining the impact of environmental technologies, environmental taxes, energy consumption, and natural resources on GHG emissions in G-7 economies

The focus areas for COP-27 include fast-tracking our worldwide evolution to decarbonization in the energy industry and clean energy as the stockholder's effort to restrict global warming to 1.5 °C (2.7 °F) above the levels of pre-industrial. After this COP-27 summit, most of the developing countries will provoke challenges in accomplishing their targets of a carbon neutrality and sustainable economy with the minimum possible greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. In this regard, the G-7 countries, despite prosperous cautiously, have not prospered in certifying ecological welfare in tandem. Nevertheless, these economies cannot endure their green growth attainments without instantaneously safeguarding their ecological features. To do this, green technologies and environmental taxes are vital apparatuses that can assist in accomplishing carbon neutrality objectives. Consequently, the current study investigates the influence of green technologies, environmental taxes, natural resources, renewable, and fossil fuel energy on GHG emissions in G-7 nations from 1994 to 2020. After confirming the cross-sectional dependency issue, this study uses a battery of second-generation panel methods to estimate the empirical findings. The estimated evidences discovered that green technologies, environmental taxes, and renewable protect environmental quality in the long run. However, natural resources and fossil fuel energy increase the GHG emissions levels. Furthermore, this study suggests that G-7 economies should be more focus on green technologies, imposing environmental taxes eco-innovation related developments, and promote renewable energy projects through the sustainable alteration of their consumption and production processes.

Examining the Energy-Environmental Kuznets Curve in OECD Countries Considering their Population

This research aims to examine the validity of the Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) hypothesis in 37 Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries over the period from 1960 to 2019. Panel Quantile Regressions (QR) show that for the lower quartile, economic growth does not impact emissions; for the central quartile a U-shaped curve emerges; while for the upper quartile, an N-shaped curve is found. In addition, cointegrating regressions highlight that economic growth, fossil fuel consumption, and population exert a detrimental effect on the environment, while renewable energy consumption reduces carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. These results are confirmed by panel causality tests since a feedback mechanism is found between CO2 emissions and the remaining series. Furthermore, single-country estimates provide evidence of great variability in the sample.

Investigating the fishing grounds load capacity curve in G7 nations: Evaluating the influence of human capital and renewable energy use

This paper introduces a novel approach to explore marine ecosystem by examining the Fishing Grounds Load Capacity Curve (FGLCC) hypothesis. The study investigates the impact of income on the marine condition in G7 nations from 1970 to 2019 by exploring the U-shaped relationship between income and the Fishing Grounds Load Capacity Factor (FGLCF). This research diverges from previous studies focused solely on the demand side through fishing footprints, as it considers the neglected aspect of the marine supply side. Furthermore, it explores the influence of renewable energies and human capital as indicators inversely related to non-renewable energy use and population on the marine condition. The findings reveal the U-shaped FGLCC hypothesis. Additionally, the results demonstrate that renewable energies and human capital have a positive impact on the marine ecosystem. These outcomes provide valuable insights for decision-makers, enabling them to identify key variables that contribute to the preservation of marine diversity.

Exploring the energy-economy-environment paradox through Yin-Yang harmony cognition

Adopting a symbiotic perspective, this study aimed to examine the paradoxical interrelationship of the energy-economy-environment nexus through the novel lens of Yin-Yang cognitive harmony. With a broad sample of countries (6 African lions, 5 Asian tigers, 3 NAFTA countries, and 10 top European Union economies), we applied the cointegration and fully modified ordinary least squares techniques to evaluate the short- and long-term relationships between energy consumption, economic growth and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions for the period 1980-2012. The results were heterogeneous across countries, but a curvilinear (inverted U-shaped) relationship between total economic growth and CO2 emissions in conformity with the environmental Kuznets curve was confirmed in many cases. However, there was no evidence that economic growth resulting from energy consumption has been responsible for CO2 reduction, which suggests a 'trilemma' - that is, a challenge in balancing energy production, economic growth and environmental degradation. From a behavioural economic perspective, this paper draws on the Kuznets hypothesis and Jevon's paradox by adopting a paradoxical frame to characterise the complex energy-growth-environment interaction as a balanced, symbiotic coexistence. It thus provides novel insights into the energy-growth-environment trilemma through an unconventional perspective based on Yin-Yang cognitive harmony (Fig. 1, see the Appendix).

The environmental influence of national savings in D-8 countries: Empirical evidence using an ARDL model

Extensive theoretical and empirical evidence supports the crucial role of savings in driving a nation's economic growth and development. However, previous studies have not considered their potential environmental implications. This study aims to explore the influence of savings and remittances on the Developing-8 countries (D-8) from 1989 to 2019, using the panel autoregressive distributed (ARDL) model. The findings reveal that national savings and remittances, in the long run, help mitigate environmental degradation in the D-8 countries but energy use and population growth stimulate carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. In contrast, economic growth does not significantly affect these countries' environmental quality in the long run. However, none of the explanatory variables have any significant relationship with CO2 emissions in the short run. Therefore, policymakers in the D-8 countries are strongly encouraged to prioritize the enhancement of national savings across the three economic agents to maximize the positive effects of savings on environmental quality. Government savings can be increased by reducing deficits and borrowings, while corporate savings can be encouraged by implementing investment tax credits and promoting research and development. Additionally, governments can embark on public enlightenment campaigns on financial education and provide incentives to encourage household savings.

Revisiting the environmental Kuznetz curve and pollution haven hypothesis in N-11 economies: Fresh evidence from panel quantile regression

Human activities in recent decades have severely affected environmental quality, and CO₂ emissions have irreparable consequences on human health and the survival of the earth. Moreover, achieving sustainable development goals requires the expansion of environmental literature to accelerate the performing of critical actions. With this in mind, this study evaluates the impact of foreign direct investment, economic complexity, and the utilization of renewable energy on CO₂ emission in N-11 countries from 1995 to 2019 by Panel Quantile Regression. As a novelty, the interaction between economic complexity and foreign direct investment is considered to get a better comprehension. Given the results, Environmental Kuznetz Curve is validated in N-11 countries through economic complexity. Notably, the impact of economic complexity is more substantial and robust in the incipient stages of industrialization. Furthermore, foreign direct investment is a destructive factor for environmental quality, and Pollution Haven Hypothesis is not rejected. Interestingly, the interaction of economic complexity and foreign direct investment mitigates the trend of CO₂ emissions. Eventually, the utilization of renewable energy reduces CO₂ emissions. Thereby, applying more strict environmental regulations and standards, developing green energy infrastructure and technologies, improving institutional quality, and supporting knowledge-based and technology-intensive exports are the main policy recommendations of this study.

A revisit of the EKC hypothesis in top polluted African countries via combining the ARMEY curve into the Kuznets curve: A Fourier ARDL approach

The present research reexamines the validity of the EKC hypothesis in the top three polluted nations in Africa, Algeria, Egypt, and South Africa, over the period 1970-2020. The central idea of the research is to reexamine the EKC hypothesis by incorporating the ARMEY curve linking government spending and GDP into the Kuznets curve, as suggested by Işık et al. Environ Sci Pollut Res 29(11):16472-16483, (2022) and Ongan et al. Environ Sci Pollut Res 29(31):46587-46599, (2022). To this end, the ARDL equation with a Fourier function is implemented to estimate the long-run drivers of environmental deterioration. The Stochastic Impacts by Regression on Population, Affluence, and Technology (STIRPAT) model results revealed that the composite model is only valid in Algeria, and the optimal government spending that maximizes CO2 emissions is 16.88% of gross domestic product. On the contrary, the results showed that the composite model is not valid for South Africa and Egypt due to the failure of the desired shapes for the three curves. The outcomes also confirm the role of energy consumption and population as key drivers of environmental degradation in the three countries.

Examining the nonlinear impact of human capital on environmental degradation in N-11 countries: an application of the PSTR approach

The emergence of globalization and human capital has played a crucial role in the economic integration of countries, leading to the growth of the economies and a reduction in carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions. This study highlights the importance of investing in human capital development to control ecological degradation and promote sustainable economic growth. This paper employs the PSTR method to investigate the threshold impact of GDP, globalization, information communication technology, and energy consumption on CO₂ emissions. The study examines two regimes, with a single threshold to analyze the transition of human capital on these variables. The results reveal that human capital developments play a central role in controlling ecological degradation due to reduced CO₂ emissions. Based on the empirical findings, this research study offers corresponding policy suggestions.

Asian logistics industry efficiency under low carbon environment: policy implications for sustainable development

Logistics is a crucial part of every business. The logistics sector not only contributes significantly to Asian economies but also has far-reaching effects on ecological and social concerns. Therefore, it is important to examine the factors that can affect the logistics performance of the country. Hence, the primary objective of the study is to estimate the impact of CO₂ emissions, ICT, and human capital on the logistics performance of the 20 Asian economies. In order to investigate the relationship between the variables, we have employed the OLS, 2SLS, GMM, and panel quantile regression. The estimates of CO₂ emissions and GHG emissions are significantly negative in 2SLS and GMM methods, implying that environmental pollution hurt logistic performance. The estimates of ICT and education are positively significant, suggesting that increased use of internet and higher education rate are crucial in improving logistics performance. In the panel quantile regression model, the estimates of CO₂, internet, and education are insignificant at most quantiles except at a few higher quantiles. Thus, governments should invest in the development of efficient logistics infrastructure to achieve sustainable development.

Dynamic effect of exchange rate depreciation on carbon emission in the Mediterranean basin: fresh insights from linear and non-linear ARDL approaches

The key objective of this study is to explore the relationship between economic growth, renewable and non-renewable energy consumption, exchange rate variation, and environmental pollution by carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions in 19 coastline Mediterranean countries over the period 1995-2020. We suggest the application of two different approaches, namely, the symmetric autoregressive-distributed lag (ARDL) and the non-linear ARDL (NARDL) model. These methods distinguished from traditional ones by the fact that they assess both the long and short run dynamics among variables. More importantly, the NARDL method is the only technique enabling us to test the asymmetric effects of a shock in independent variables on dependent ones. Our results indicate that the long-term pollution is positively correlated with exchange rate for developed countries and negatively correlated for developing ones. Since environmental degradation in developing countries is more vulnerable to any fluctuation in exchange rate, we suggest that policymakers in Mediterranean developing countries must pay more attention to exchange rate variation as well as boosting renewable energy consumption in order to decrease CO₂ emissions.

Investigating the nexus between trade policy uncertainty and environmental quality in the USA: empirical evidence from aggregate and disaggregate level analysis

Worldwide, environmental sustainability is a hot topic, particularly in industrialized countries due to their higher emission intensity. Environmental conservation and equitable economic growth have been prioritized in economic debate and policy development. Over the past three decades, the USA's emissions of carbon dioxide (CO₂e) have risen exponentially, as trade policy uncertainty (TPU). In this circumstance, this paper aims to contribute to the existing literature by exploring the effect of TPU on environmental quality by controlling the energy consumption, economic growth, and population in the USA over the period 1985M1 to 2022M3 employing the augmented ARDL and NARDL procedures in the presence of structural breaks. From our analysis, the results revealed that TPU affects negatively CO₂e in the residential sector, and negative changes in TPU positively affect CO₂e in the commercial sector both in the long and short run. On the other side, the outcomes show that energy consumption is a crucial key determinant factor in environmental degradation at the aggregate level and in all sectors. Furthermore, our findings clarify that economic growth upsurges the CO₂e at the aggregate level precisely in the industrial and residential sectors. Juxtaposing, in the long run, the results indicate that population growth could make additional pressure on environmental quality at the aggregate level, especially in commercial, power generation, and residential sectors. Accordingly, it is clear from our results that the regulations put in place to encourage Americans to buy locally created goods instead of those imported, especially in light of the high levels of TPU, maybe the best option to decrease the long-term impact of international trade on the environment to achieve sustainable development goals (SDGs).

Heterogeneous role of energy utilization, financial development, and economic development in ecological footprint: How far away are developing economies from developed ones

This research aims to investigate the impact of energy consumption, financial development, and economic development on the ecological footprint in a panel of 119 developed and developing countries between 2002 and 2018. The study employs panel unit root and autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) model to achieve this goal. The ARDL results reveal that several factors such as energy consumption, financial development, urbanization, globalization, foreign direct investment, and population growth have a positive relationship with the ecological footprint in developed countries. On the other hand, the human development index and natural resources negatively affect the ecological footprint in developed countries. Moreover, the ARDL results indicate that energy consumption, financial development, urbanization, foreign direct investment, and population growth positively impact the ecological footprint in developing countries in the long run. In contrast, the human development index, natural resources, and globalization have a negative impact on the ecological footprint. These findings imply the need for different policy implications for both developed and developing countries to reduce their ecological footprint.

The impact of democracy and income on CO2 emissions in MINT countries: evidence from quantile regression model

This study analyses the relationship between democracy and environmental pollution in the MINT countries using a panel data spanning 1971-2016. It also investigates the interactive effect of income and democracy on CO2 emissions. We used various estimation techniques for the analysis, ranging from the quantile regression, OLS-fixed effect and GLS-random effect regressions with Driscoll-Kraay standard errors to control for cross-sectional dependence while a panel threshold regression is used for robustness check. The results showed existence of long-run relationship between CO2 emissions and the explanatory variables. The quantile regression results for interaction model indicate that economic growth, democracy and trade openness promote environmental pollution via their positive effects on CO2 emissions. Primary energy however reduces pollution across the lower and middle quantiles but enhances it in higher quantiles. The interaction effect is negative and statistically significant across all quantiles. This implies that democracy has a significant role in moderating the impact of income on CO2 emission in the MINT countries. It thus follows that if the MINT countries radically strengthen democracy and enhance income, it would be possible for them to achieve greater economic development and reduce CO2. In addition, a single threshold model is used to identify the asymmetry in response to CO2 emissions at lower and upper levels of democratic regimes. The results showed that once the degree of democracy is above the threshold level, an increase in income would reduce CO2 emissions but once it is below the threshold level, the effect of income becomes insignificant. Based on these results, the MINT countries need to strengthen democracy, enhance income level and relax trade barriers.

Economic policy uncertainty, renewable energy and environmental degradation: Evidence from Egypt

This study contributes to the growing but still limited body of literature on the impact of economic policy uncertainty, renewable energy usage, and economic growth on environmental degradation in Egypt. Using the autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) bound test, we examine the existence of cointegration relationships in Egypt over the period 1990-2018. Our results indicate that economic policy uncertainty is positively associated with environmental degradation in both the short and long run. Additionally, we find that economic growth exacerbates environmental degradation in both the short and long term. Finally, renewable energy consumption has a significant negative effect on environmental degradation in the long run. Therefore, ensuring economic policy stability is crucial for maintaining environmental quality. To this end, Egyptian policymakers should prioritize low-carbon research and development techniques, as well as the adoption of renewable energy sources to mitigate environmental degradation.

Analyzing the determinants of sustainability of China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) projects: an interpretive structural modelling (ISM) approach

China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is a game changer initiative of South Asian Pacific Rim. It has great importance for almost all Asian countries. Its success is expected to dictate the economic development of the stakeholders. The aim of this study is to evaluate the essential determinants deriving the sustainability of CPEC projects. The design of the study comprises of the review of literature, data collection, and analysis. Population under study is the folk of stakeholders of CPEC. Sampling envisages on purposive sampling design, i.e., 14 experts from within the stakeholders. Primary data is collected in the field setting through a survey questionnaire appropriate for the study. ISM is used for modelling and MICMAC for analysis and classification using inductive approach. The findings of the literature survey show that there are 23 prime determinants of sustainability of CPEC projects. The results of ISM show that 13 determinants are at Level-I, nine at Level-II, and one determinant namely "economic globalization" is at Level-III being the most critical and driving determinant. The findings of MICMAC show that only one determinant is classified in independent quadrant, and all the remaining determinants are in linkage quadrant, whereas, no determinant is shown in autonomous and/or dependence quadrant. But most of the determinants have potential to be classified in dependent and independent quadrants. It is intimately evident that the results of MICMAC corroborate the results of ISM. It is useful for folk of the stakeholders by way of developing an understanding about the multitude of determinants, intra-determinant relations, prioritizing the determinants for policy decisions, and/or for building future studies. This study has some limitations, e.g., the study uses qualitative approach and answers what and how questions that do not quantify the relations or tell the cause of indicated relations.

Analyzing the pro-environmental behavior of pharmaceutical employees through Green HRM practices: the mediating role of green commitment

Since last few decades, preserving the natural environment has been considered an important issue. Almost every organization is paying attention to environmentalism worldwide. The successful green management in a firm depends on the employee's pro-environmental behavior. The purpose of this study is to examine the impact of green human resource management practices on employee's pro-environmental behavior. While considering the mediating role of green commitment. Both Green Human Resource Management Practices and pro-environmental behavior have been considered by various studies but determining green behavior through Green Human Resource Management practices was neglected before. Therefore, this study adopts a quantitative approach to fill the gap. Data has been collected from 279 employees through convenience sampling from the pharmaceutical industry of Pakistan. Structural equation modeling was used to analyze the developed constructs. The findings show that there is a direct and indirect effect of Green Human Resource Management practices on employee's pro-environmental behavior through green commitment. The study is unique in its implications. It provides practical and theoretical implications. This study not only bridges the gap highlighted in the literature by introducing Green Human Resource practices as antecedents toward green behavior but also contributes to the literature of organizational behavior, environmental studies, and human resource management and strengthen the AMO framework by using it to explain employee's green behavior through Green Human Resource Management practices.