Natural Resources Depletion, Financial Risk, and Human Well-Being: What is the Role of Green Innovation and Economic Globalization?

Human well-being is the top priority of all nations in the twenty-first century. However, depletion of natural resources and financial risk can negatively impact human well-being, which in turn can make it difficult to realize human well-being. Also, green innovation and economic globalization may play a significant role in human well-being. In this context, this study assesses the impacts of natural resources, financial risk, green innovation, and economic globalization on human well-being in emerging countries from 1990 to 2018. The empirical results from the Common Correlated Effects Mean Group estimator unveiled that natural resources and financial risk negatively affect the human well-being of emerging nations. Furthermore, the results show that green innovation and economic globalization positively contribute to human well-being. These findings are also verified using alternative methods. In addition, natural resources, financial risk, and economic globalization Granger cause human well-being but not the other way round. Furthermore, bidirectional causality exists between green innovation and human well-being. Considering these novel findings, sustainable utilization of natural resources and controlling financial risk are necessary strategies for realizing human well-being. More resources should be allocated for green innovation, and government should encourage economic globalization to attain sustainable development in emerging countries.

Graphical Abstract