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Along with the increasing aging population (AP) and global interconnectedness in the Mediterranean bloc comes climate change issues faced by the Mediterranean region in its trajectory to energy security and sustainable development. To meet the continuous energy consumption demand while cutting down natural resources extraction and exploitation with a view to minimizing environmental impacts, the policy structure in these countries may require readjustment, which is the motivation for the present study. This study advances a strategic framework for investigating the impact of natural resources rent as well as aging reliance on carbon emissions in the Mediterranean region for the annual frequency data from 1990–2016. Using quantile regression to analyze the highlighted variables, empirical results shows that both income and natural resources rent have an inverted U-Shaped connection with CO2 emission, which affirms the Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) hypothesis. Subsequently, globalization and energy use show a positive relationship with emissions while AP is negatively correlated with emissions. Depending on the outcomes of this analysis, a multi-stage Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) framework has been developed and SDG- 7, SDG -13 as well as SDG-8 were examined in this context. While these three SDGs are the main targets of the study, the SDG System has also provided a way to test other SDGs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The contribution of different agricultural subsectors to economic growth in Nigeria is investigated and further suggests policy implications for investing in each of these subsectors. To this end, Johansen cointegration test and Gregory–Hansen test for cointegration with regime shift, vector error correction model (VECM), dynamic ordinary least squares (DOLS), fully modified ordinary least squares (FMOLS), Granger causality, and frequency domain causality test are employed for data from 1981 to 2016. This paper further highlights the long and causal dynamics between the selected agricultural subsector, namely forestry, crop production, fishery and livestock, and economic growth. Findings from time and frequency domain causality tests indicate a one‐way causality running from various subsectors of agriculture to economic growth in Nigeria, meaning how various subsectors of agriculture are important for predicting economic growth. In addition, there is 54% speed of adjustment from the error correction model, suggesting a need for diversification of the economy into the agricultural sector as a means for sustainable economic growth in the face of the continuous plunge in the global oil price. In the long‐run, the effect of forestry, crop production, and fishery on economic growth is statistically significant and positive. These outcomes have inherent policy implication(s), which are elucidated in the concluding section. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study examined the impact of food security on child mortality (infant mortality and under-five mortality), using a dynamic panel data analysis for 114 countries for the period 1995-2009 by considering a wide range of controlled variables such as income, social indicators and policy variables. Th e result suggests that food security has a negative impact on child mortality for all countries and even more impact on child mortality within the food insecure African countries. Therefore, based on the findings of the study; it is recommended that an increase in food security is indeed a positive policy option, particularly within the food insecure African countries, since it ensures a decrease in child mortality within these countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In accordance with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), Kyoto protocol and the United Nations Sustainable development goals (UNSDGs) on climate action (SDG-13), there has been a need across economies for transition from fossil-fuel-based energy sources such as coal energy consumption to cleaner energy options i.e., a transition to a low-carbon economy. To this end, the present study explores the asymmetric relationship between coal energy consumption, economic growth, rising urban population and emission level in South Africa. The present study span is conducted on an annual frequency basis from 1965-2018. This study applies the novel Non-linear Autoregressive distributed lag methodology (NARDL) for the highlighted variables. Empirical results validate the asymmetric relationship between the variables under review over the study period. The NARDL regression further shows positive shock by GDP increases CO2 emission level while negative impact affects otherwise in the long run. On the other hand, coal consumption positive shock exhibits a detrimental impact on environmental quality in South Africa. This is insightful for policymakers. The urban population shows non-significant effect on emission levels over the sampled period. The knowledge of both positive and negative shock effects of GDP, coal energy consumption and urban growth is vital for policy construction in terms of both economic and environmental sustainability. Thus, policy prescription ranges from energy transition to alternative and cleaner energy sources like renewables and responsible energy consumption (SDG-12) should be pursued in South Africa. More far-reaching environmental policies are highlighted in the concluding section. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic has two striking impacts on the economy of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. First, the economic contraction of business and economic activities. Second, the effect of oil prices dropping as energy demand decreases in the international market. This study seeks to underpin the linkage between GDP growth, oil price, foreign direct investment (FDI), air transport, social globalization and carbon dioxide emission by applying time-series econometrics techniques of the following: fully modified ordinary least squares, dynamic ordinary least squares and canonical tests. The results of the Johansen cointegration test and empirical analysis trace a long-run equilibrium relationship between the highlighted variables. Our study shows that a 1% increase in FDI attraction increases economic growth by 0.004%; similarly, air transport and oil rent from KSA increased economic growth by 0.547% and 0.005%, respectively. These outcomes are indicative of the GDP growth ambition of the KSA economy in order to intensify FDI attraction and the air transportation sector. However, we also observe that increases in CO2 emission increase GDP growth. Thus, this suggests that the economic growth in KSA is not green, indicating the need for green economic growth pursuit targets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While most African economies are primarily sandwiched with the seemingly unsurmountable task of attaining consistent economic growth and unhindered energy supply, the enormous threat posed by environmental degradation has further complicated the economic and environmental sustainability drive. In this context, the present study examines the effect of economic growth, urbanization, electricity consumption, fossil fuel energy consumption, and total natural resources rent on pollutant emissions in Africa over the period 1980–2014. By employing selected African countries, the current study relies on the Kao and Pedroni cointegration tests to cointegration analysis, the Pesaran's Panel Pooled Mean Group-Autoregressive distributive lag methodology (ARDL-PMG) for long run regression while Dumitrescu and Hurlin (2012) is employed for the detection of causality direction among the outlined variables. The study traces long run equilibrium relationships between examined indicators. The ARDL-PMG results suggest a statistical positive relationship between pollutant emissions and urbanization, electricity consumption and non-renewable energy consumption. Dumitrescu and Hurlin (2012) Granger causality test lends support to the long-run regression results. A bi-directional causality is observed between pollutant emissions, electricity consumption, economic growth and pollutant emissions while a unidirectional causality is apparent between total natural resources rent and pollutant emission. Based on these results, several policy implications for the African continent were suggested. (a) The need for a paradigm shift from fossil fuel sources to renewables is encouraged in the region (b) The need to embrace carbon storage and capturing techniques to decouple pollutant emissions from economic growth on the continent's growth trajectory. Further policy insights are elucidated. Unlabelled Image • Investigation of environmental degradation in selected African countries • Long and short-run pollutant emissions decomposition in Africa • Economic growth-pollutant emission directional causality has a feedback. • Urbanization, electricity consumption and fossil fuel positively impact pollutant emission. • Energy portfolio diversification in Africa is more urgently necessary than ever. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

According to the Economic Complexity Index, Japan was the number 1 most complex economy in the world. In addition to complexity, Japan pledges to reduce emissions by boosting cleaner energy sources. This study simulates two policies to highlight a path for Japan in achieving this ambitious energy and environmental target. The novel dynamic autoregressive distribution lag (ARDL) model and Kernel-based regularized least squares (KRLS) are adopted over panel data from 1970 to 2018. Empirical evidence from the ARDL and dynamic ARDL models shows that CO2 emissions have a significant long-term relationship with GDP per capita, renewable energy, and economic complexity index while air transport is significant in the short run. Putting it more elaborately, a unit increase in GDP per capita increase the emission by 0.84%–0.96% in the long run and 0.46%–0.48% in the short run. As regards renewable energy, a unit increase in it decrease the carbon emission by 0.07% and 0.04% in the long-run and short-run respectively. Also, an increase in the economic index diminished the emission by 0.81% in the long run. Moreover, economic complexity moderates the role of GDP in environmental degradation as it also has a significant impact on carbon emission. • A -26% policy simulation of clean or unclean energy sources can both abate emissions. • Economic Complexity moderates the impact of economic growth on CO2 emissions. • A template for energy policy design is presented. • CO2 emissions have a significant long-term relationship with GDP per capita, renewable energy and ECI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores the applicability of conventional environmental Kuznets curve (EKC) with an extension for the case of emerging industrialized economies, comprised of China, India, Brazil, Mexico, Russia, Indonesia, and Turkey, for annual time frequency from 1995 to 2016. This study is distinct from that already documented in the extant literature by extending the traditional EKC phenomenon by accounting for the combined impact of institutional quality and renewables in E7 blocs. The countries under review are known to be emerging and still at their scale stage of their growth path. As such, the need to explore the theme is pertinent for stakeholders. Empirical framework is built on second-generational panel econometrics strategies that consist of Augmented Mean Group, Common Correlated Effects Mean Group estimator, Driscoll-Kraay and Dumitrescu and Hurlin Causality analysis, which is superior to first-generation methods. Our study validates the EKC phenomenon in E7, i.e., where emphasis is placed on economic expansion relative to the quality of the environment. The EKC phenomenon is validated by the deteriorating effect of fossil-fuel energy consumption in the bloc. However, renewables are seen as a panacea to reduce pollution emission as renewable energy exerts a negative and statistical relationship with CO 2 emission over the sampled period. Additional results show that weak institution also dampens the quality of the environment in E7. These outcomes are suggestive to policy makers to reinforce their commitment to the quality of the environment in terms of growth and energy transition from fossil fuel to clean energy sources. Further policy prescriptions are presented in the concluding section. • We explore the impacts combined impact of institutional quality and renewables on the environmental quality in E7 economies. • We applied a battery of second-generation panel econometrics methods. • EKC phenomenon is validated in E7 bloc. • Weak institutions dampen the environmental quality of the E7 economies. • Renewables shows strong evidence to improve the quality of the environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The European Union (EU) is one of the strongest, but most complex unions in the world with a competitive tourism industry. The aim of this study, therefore, is to account for economic complexity index (ECI), Brexit and other crisis episodes in the growth-energy-emissions nexus. Theoretically, the traditional Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) model is assessed by adopting a One-step System Generalized Method of Moment (Sys GMM) on data for 26 EU member states over the period from 1995 to 2018. For the first time, an EU-macro regional analysis is conducted with and without the UK. Empirical results reveal that an increase in tourism, real GDP per capita, and energy use across the four EU macro regions leads to increase in carbon emission. In some regions, it was observed that tourism, ECI, Brexit, and the Greece bailout have no significant impact on carbon emission. This suggests that the increase in international travel, complexity of the economy, and financial crisis do not accelerate environmental crisis in such regions. However, where such factors are statistically significant, Brexit and the Greece bailout crisis both heighten emissions. Particularly, when the UK is excluded, Brexit and the Greece bailout crisis increase and reduce emissions, respectively. The EKC hypothesis, however, holds in either scenario. Based on these empirical findings, vital policy directions are suggested for a post-Brexit EU-UK energy and environmental relations. • We examined ECI, Brexit and other crisis episodes in the growth-energy-emissions nexus. • An increase in tourism, real GDP per capita, and energy use lead to increase in carbon emission. • In some regions, tourism, ECI, Brexit, and the Greece bailout have no significant impact on carbon emission. • When the UK is excluded, Brexit and the Greece bailout crisis increase and reduce emissions, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]