Urbanization, renewable energy production, and carbon dioxide emission in BSEC member states: implications for climate change mitigation and energy markets

Financial globalization and economic growth amid geopolitical risk: A study on China-Russia far East federal district

Geopolitics, natural resource efficiency and financial globalization have arisen as a new concept for low CO2 to achieve sustainable economic growth (EG). Therefore, developed and developing economies focus on Geopolitics risk (GPR), natural resource (NRS) efficiency and financial globalization (FG) to cope with CO2 neutrality targets. In order to understand the elements that contribute to achieving CO2 neutrality, this study sought to establish a relevant connection between geopolitics, the efficiency of NRS, financial globalization (FNG), and economic growth. For the abovementioned objectives, modern econometric methods, such as the canonical cointegration, CS-FGLS and GMM were adopted to evaluate the China-Russia Far East dataset between 1990 and 2022. In order to achieve CO2 neutrality in the long run, the study's elements are crucial, according to the results. In addition, GMM shows that each of the parameters affects CO2 neutrality. As a result, the ecological Kuznets curve rules the economic landscape, and long-term CO2 neutrality is greatly facilitated by geopolitics, efficient use of natural resources, financial globalization, and economic growth. Consequently, numerous domains necessitate far-reaching and revolutionary policy changes, such as economic integration to mitigate geopolitical risk, effective management of natural resources, efficient financial systems, and sustainable technology.

Advancements in Solid-State Hydrogen Storage: A Review on the Glass Microspheres

Glass microspheres, with their unique internal structure and chemical stability, offer a promising solution for the challenges of hydrogen storage and transmission, potentially advancing the utility of hydrogen as a safe and efficient energy source. In this review, we systematically evaluate various treatment and modification strategies, including fusion, sol-gel, and chemical vapor deposition (CVD), and compare the performance of different types of glass microspheres. Our synthesis of current research findings reveals that specific low-cost and environmentally friendly modification techniques can significantly enhance the hydrogen storage efficiency of glass microspheres, with some methods increasing storage capacity by up to 32% under certain conditions. Through a detailed life-cycle and cost-benefit assessment, our study highlights the economic and sustainability advantages of using modified glass microspheres. For example, selected alternative materials used in lightweight vehicles have been shown to reduce density by approximately 10% while reducing costs. This review not only underscores the contributions of modified glass microspheres to overcoming the limitations of current hydrogen storage technologies but also provides a systematic framework for improving their performance in hydrogen storage applications. Our research suggests that modified glass microspheres could help to make hydrogen energy more commercially viable and environmentally friendly.

How can open public data promote efficient and equitable green production? Evidence from eco-efficiency in China

Nowadays, concurrent attention to economic development and ecological issues is becoming an important trend. In this paper, we measure the eco-efficiency of 285 Chinese cities from 2003 to 2019 using a non-radial directional distance function and the data envelopment analysis method, based on which we analyze the club convergence of cities' eco-efficiency using the logt test; we estimate the impact of open public data platforms on eco-efficiency and its convergence using a multi-period difference in difference model and panel-ordered logit model, respectively. We find that, first, open public data platforms improve cities' eco-efficiency by about 6.5%, and the impact mechanisms include scale efficiency, technical efficiency, and total factor productivity, or, at the micro level, increasing the economic agglomeration degree, boosting the amount of foreign investment used, and increasing green innovation level. Second, there are three convergence clubs of eco-efficiency in China's cities, whose average eco-efficiency trends are above, close to, and below average, respectively. Third, public data platforms significantly increase the probability of cities belonging to the convergence clubs of high and medium eco-efficiency (Clubs 1 and 2) and decrease the probability of belonging to the low one (Club 3). However, the mechanisms only include technical efficiency and total factor productivity, or the amount of foreign investment used and the green innovation level at the micro level.

The Impact of Economic Corridor and Tourism on Local Community's Quality of Life under One Belt One Road Context

Economic corridors unlock new economic opportunities and tourism development in the region to achieve sustainable development goals. Green economic growth is conducive to environmental sustainability. Economic mega-projects of CPEC promote tourism that leads to communities' well-being and better quality of life. Modern infrastructure development contributes significantly to economic growth and tourism activities. This study's objectives emphasize exploring tourism and sustainable development pursuits under OBOR economic projects that open doors to improving residents' quality of life. The growing world is an eyewitness to a continuous rise in emissions and its severe consequences for humankind. It is necessary to show off the leading factors that result in tourism and economic activities causing environmental pollution rather than blame policymakers. Undoubtedly, many studies previously focused on demonstrating the influence of socio-economic factors that lead to better environmental quality. However, the empirical literature on tourism, social well-being, foreign direct investment, and the Environment in Belt and Road developed economies needed improvement. This research applied a series of advanced estimators that help demonstrate the study's probable results. This study explores the role of Social well-being (HDI), tourism development, FDI, renewable energy, information & communication technology (ICT), and urbanization on CO2 emissions in Belt and Road (BRI) developed economies.Estimated results exhibited the significant contribution of ICT and renewable energy to sustainability. Besides, FDI contributes to emissions reduction after its threshold level. Conversely, urbanization and tourism activities contribute to environmental pollution. The study outcomes stated inverted/EKC U-shaped hypotheses related to specified economies. Finally, the analysis based on the D-H panel causality test constructs exciting results.The present study concludes that economic corridor plays a vital role in tourism development, the community's well-being, and SDGs goals (sustainable development) impact on environmental safety. The findings suggest essential and applicable policies to attain the desired sustainability level. Findings contribute to the literature on tourism, well-being, and sustainability. Further studies can use insights using this methodology.

Dynamic impact of demographic features, FDI, and technological innovations on ecological footprint: evidence from European emerging economies

Climate change effect mitigation is a critical priority for top leaders and communities around the globe. Human-induced environmental issues are affecting humankind's standard of living and development potential and the planetary boundaries. Sustainability objectives aim to enhance environmental quality and ensure sustainable development for all by eliminating social inequalities. This study examines the complex relationships between demographic features, foreign direct investment, technological innovation, and ecological footprint, emphasizing the relevance of population aging, population density, and urbanization in this context. The research uses a selection of emerging European economies during 1995-2018. The reasons for countries' selection are related to the increasing rate of population aging in European countries, the attractiveness for foreign direct investment, the economic growth, and the technological advancement potential these emerging countries possess. In order to investigate the long-run relationship between the selected variables, the study tests the cross-section dependence, homogeneity, and cointegration and uses Konya tests to determine panel causality. Based on Konya methodology, differences between countries in the panel are evidenced and discussed accordingly. Our findings confirm the long-run relationship between environment, technological innovation, population aging, and FDI. The results of this research are highly relevant for policymakers in selected countries for identifying the set of correlations and the relevance of various variables in such national economies. Demographic features such as population aging and population density are critical for Europe, and the results show the impact on the ecological footprint.

The interaction between remittance, FDI, renewable energy, and environmental quality: a panel data analysis for the top remittance-receiving countries

A country's financing system is essential in addressing sustainable development requirements. National sources and international financial flows contribute to economic growth and environmental quality in many ways, and their impact can be critical. This paper applied panel data analysis using a comparative approach of Pooled Mean Group Auto Regressive Distribute Lags (PMG-ARDL) and Cross Sectionally ARDL (CS-ARDL) to estimate the effects of FDI, renewable energy, and remittance on environmental quality in the top remittance-receiving countries, during 2000-2021. The study emphasized the positive relationship between FDI and carbon emissions. Moreover, renewable energy and remittances revealed an inverted U-shaped relationship with carbon emissions. In the case of developing countries from the panel, remittance improves environmental quality after reaching the threshold. Moreover, for some of the developing countries included in the panel, we found that they do not achieve the desired carbon mitigation effect in their early stages of renewable energy implementation. However, renewable energy becomes a key factor for tackling environmental pollution after a certain threshold. The mixed results determined diverse policy recommendations for various stakeholders.

Unraveling the environmental Kuznets curve: interplay between [Formula: see text] emissions, economic development, and energy consumption

The study investigates the complex interplay among [Formula: see text] emissions, energy consumption, and economic growth in China, employing the Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) framework to analyze the dynamics from 1990 to 2022. The research contributes to the urgent need for sustainable development by filling important gaps in comprehending China's specific challenges and potential and considering the relationship between economic advancement and environmental quality. This study utilizes advanced econometric tools, including the AutoRegressive Distributed Lag model, Vector Error Correction Model, and AutoRegressive Integrated Moving Average, to comprehensively examine the complicated relationship between variables, considering both short-run and long-run dynamics. The study supports the EKC concept, suggesting that targeted measures can reduce environmental degradation as China's economy advances. Strategic policy recommendations include emission reduction targets, investments in green technologies, and promoting sustainable consumption patterns. Furthermore, transitioning from fossil fuels to cleaner energy aligns with global climate objectives. This research provides valuable insights for policymakers, emphasizing the interconnected nature of energy consumption, [Formula: see text] emissions, and economic growth in shaping China's sustainable future.

Quantifying digital economy and green initiatives for carbon neutrality targets: a Kilian bias-adjusted bootstrap model evaluation of China economy

Digitalization has emerged as a new hope for low-carbon sustainable economic growth after its successful trial during the COVID-19 measures. Therefore, both developed and developing economies focus on digitalization to cope with carbon neutrality targets. Thus, this study attempted to generate a meaningful relationship between the digital economy and green energy, innovation, and environmental tax policy to capture the role of factors in acquiring carbon neutrality. For the abovementioned objectives, modern econometric methods, such as the Kilian bias-adjusted bootstrap, were adopted to evaluate the Chinese dataset between 1990 and 2021. The results indicate that the study factors play a significant role in acquiring carbon neutrality in the long-term Chinese economy. Furthermore, quantile autoregressive distributed lag model (QARDL) indicates that all the factors influence carbon neutrality in various quantiles. Consequently, the digital economy, green energy and innovation, and environmental taxes significantly assist in attaining carbon neutrality in the long term, and the ecological Kuznets curve prevails in the economy. Therefore, radical and wide-ranging policy implications are required in many areas including environmental restrictions, digital economy promotion, green and sustainable technologies, and clean energy sources.

Effects of different national standards and driving conditions on pollutants and persistent free radicals in diesel engine exhaust particles

Exhaust pollutants from diesel vehicles constitute an important portion of air pollution. In addition to conventional pollutants such as carbon and nitrogen oxides, persistent free radicals (PFRs) exist on exhaust particles could also pose a health risk by inducing oxidative stress. However, recently there is a dearth of comprehensive studies addressing this concern. In this study, the exhaust particles emitted by tractors adhering to two prominent emission standards, namely GB III and GB I, that currently hold the largest tractor stocks, were collected under various working conditions. For the first time, this study dynamically monitored the characteristics of PFRs in exhaust particles emitted by internal combustion engines using biodiesel as fuel during driving on rural actual roads. Due to the stricter emission standard of GB III, which resulted in lower particle emissions, the concentration of PFRs emitted under the same fuel consumption was ultimately reduced. Noteworthily, while advancements like fuel atomization under engine electronic control unit (ECU) and the utilization of oxidation catalysts with low ignition temperature successfully decreased polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) emission by altering combustion in the engine, they also resulted in heightened carbon structure defects, leading to a higher concentration of PFRs emitted per unit mass of particles. Additionally, compared to non-plowing driving conditions, localized hypoxia during plowing that could cause excessive fuel injection and uneven formation of fuel-air mixture resulted in the emission of a significant amount of carbon-containing substances with unstable structures. Consequently, this scenario led to an increased concentration of PFRs during plowing conditions. The results of this study demonstrated that the stricter emission standards and optimized technology could better reduce the concentration and types of PFRs in exhaust particles, reducing the environmental risk of exhaust particle, which is also of great significance for the realization of pollution reduction and carbon reduction goals.

The impact of informality and institutional quality on environmental footprint: The case of emerging economies in a comparative approach

The endeavor to implement the 2030 Agenda of national and international stakeholders became increasingly impetuous, considering the wide range of uncertainties and risks. The new humans-centered development model built on the prominence of environmental and social values seeks to reinforce communities' resilience and mitigate environmental risks, leaving no one behind. For this to happen, solid and effective institutions, the right environmental policies, and a safe statutory labor framework are the sine qua non. In this study, we evaluated the effects of informality, institutional quality, and renewable energy consumption on ecological footprint of two groups of emerging countries from Europe and Asia from 2002 to 2018. Our results by PMG-ARDL approach highlight dissimilarities between the two groups, showing greater heterogeneity. In this sense, informality is found to have positive and significant effects on ecological footprint in the long run in emerging European countries. In contrast, the effect is negative for emerging Asian countries. In the short run, the effects are less critical in the studied countries between the two groups. Institutional quality variables impacted environmental quality differently. In this sense, it is detrimental for policymakers to consider concerted measures to decrease institutional vulnerabilities and reduce the level of the informal economy. The outcome of this study concurs with a complete awareness of the importance of informality and institutional quality to mitigate social and environmental risks conjunctively.

The impact of agriculture production and renewable energy consumption on CO2 emissions in developing countries: the role of governance

Environmental pollution has aggravated the climate change issues posing unusual challenges to the survival and growth of humanity, including extreme weather, loss of species, and sustainability of the ecosystem in developing countries. Unlike previous studies, this paper adds new dimension to the literature by incorporating corruption into agriculture production-environment nexus. This study adds new dimension to the literature by examining corruption, agriculture, and renewable energy on CO2 emissions. The study therefore examines the effects of governance (corruption) and agriculture production on CO2 emissions in 20 countries in Africa from 1990 to 2019. The study employed recent panel econometric approach which accounts for cross-sectional dependence in the variables. The findings of the fixed effect model and panel dynamic ordinary least squares (PDOLS) show that forest and renewable energy consumption decrease CO2 emissions. However, corruption, agriculture production, export, and urbanization escalate CO2 emissions in African countries covered in the paper. Moreover, the Dumitrescu-Hurlin Granger causality indicates a bidirectional causality between agriculture production and CO2 emissions, renewable energy use, agricultural output, and forest. Also, unidirectional Granger causality runs from corruption to forest and agriculture production. On these premises, consented efforts by governments should be made to support good institutions in order to promote good governance to avert pervasive consequences of corruption on the environment.