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Sustainable consumption is crucial in reducing the growing pressure of environmental crises. This study proposes the Technique of Order Preference by Similarity to the Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) approach to evaluate sustainable consumption toward green growth. The proposed approach assesses criteria weights in Interval Valued Neutrosophic Sets (IVNSs) using the Method of Maximizing Deviation. The proposed method evaluates sustainable consumption for ten selected developed and developing countries, including Canada, France, Japan, China, Indonesia, Korea, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. The evaluation process encompasses four main criteria with eight sub-criteria, namely environment (population density, CO 2 ), energy (total natural resource rents, renewable electricity), economics (value added of agriculture, forestry, and fishing, GDP per capita), and health (fertility rate, mortality rate). The countries are ranked based on the relative closeness coefficient. The results reveal that two economic sub-criteria are pivotal in the sustainable consumption rankings. Canada emerges as the country with the highest degree of green growth, attributed to its extensive land area and potential for renewable energy. Based on the findings, this study proposes some policy implications for Vietnam, including balancing fertility and mortality rates and regulating economic growth and resource exploitation., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

The paper studies the interaction between a set of bank performance indicators (concentration, profitability, and risk) and the carbon footprint of bank loans. Our research builds on the panel data analysis for 37 countries during 2010-2018, adopting local projections proposed by Jordá (Am Econ Rev 95(1):161-182, 2005), a feasible alternative to panel VAR estimation in case of short time series. In order to account for potentially different patterns in the relationship among the indicators, we split the whole panel into two sub-panels, using K-means clusterization based on income level, resource abundance, and overall environmental performance. For the whole panel, the carbon footprint is driven by systemic risk, while leading the non-performing loans (NPL) ratio and Z-score. Thus, curbing systemic risk matters to reduce the carbon footprint of bank loans. Otherwise, it may amplify the effects of the latter on the NPL ratio and Z-score. Interestingly, the effect of systemic risk on the carbon footprint stems from the sub-panel consisting of developed countries, while the effect of the carbon footprint on the NPL ratio and Z-score is mainly shaped by developing and emerging market economies. The relationships between the carbon footprint of lending, concentration, and profitability are much less pronounced both for the whole panel and for the sub-panels., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

The nations participating in the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) are particularly vulnerable to the challenges posed by climate change due to their extensive trading activities. The need to protect the environment and mitigate the adverse impacts of climate change in these countries is of utmost importance. Therefore, this study contributes to the scientific understanding of this issue by examining the relationship between trade openness and environmental sustainability in 89 BRI countries from 1990 to 2020. Additionally, control variables, including economic growth, energy consumption, urbanization, industrialization, and foreign direct investment, are considered to address omitted variable bias issues. The study utilizes the Augmented Mean Group (AMG) and Common Correlated Effects Mean Group (CCEMG) regression estimators, and the findings reveal that trade openness improves environmental sustainability. However, economic growth, energy consumption, urbanization, and industrialization degrade environmental sustainability. Interestingly, the results affirm foreign direct investment as a trivial determinant of environmental sustainability. Regarding causal relationships, reciprocal causalities are observed between trade openness and carbon emissions, energy consumption and carbon emissions, and urbanization and carbon emissions. Furthermore, one-way causalities exist from economic growth to carbon emissions and from carbon emissions to foreign direct investment. Nevertheless, no causal relationship is identified between industrialization and carbon emissions. Based on these significant findings, it is recommended that China, as a prominent player in the BRI, takes further steps to enhance and promote energy-efficient practices in BRI countries. One practical approach is the establishment of energy efficiency standards for the goods and services traded with these countries., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

The aim of this study is to examine the effect of green investments on air quality for developed and developing European countries. In this context, the short- and long-term effects of green investments on air quality were examined by panel generalized method of moments (GMM) and panel causality method. As a result of the GMM analysis, it has been determined that green investments negatively affect the air quality for both developed European countries and developing European countries in the short term, but this effect turns positive in developed countries in the long term. As a result of the panel causality analysis, two-way causality was determined between air quality and green investments., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

The environment has become a growing concern for many countries, as pollution and other environmental degradation can harm human health, economic growth, and overall well-being. This paper probes into the asymmetrical implications of economic complexity and freedom on ecological quality in four South Asian countries from 1995 to 2019. Using Nonlinear Autoregressive Distributed Lag methodology approach, our findings indicate that carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) emissions are intensified by economic freedom both in the long and short term, while negative and positive shocks to economic complexity increase CO 2 emissions in the long term. However, a negative economic complexity shock increases CO 2 emissions, whereas a positive shock has the opposite effect in the short run. Moreover, our results confirm the validity of the environmental Kuznets curve (EKC) hypothesis in the long run. Furthermore, we find that renewable energy usage and the interaction of FDI and renewable energy usage can help reduce environmental damage in both the short and long run. The findings suggest that countries should focus on attracting foreign direct investment that promotes the use of renewable energy. Additionally, policies aimed at encouraging renewable energy use should be implemented. It is important to note that as economic freedom and complexity increase, there is a corresponding increase in CO 2 emissions. Therefore, South Asian policy makers are advised to prioritize the reduction in fossil fuels, the promotion of energy-saving technologies and efficient production, and trade that encourages the transition of renewable energy sources to reduce CO 2 emissions., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

This research aims to investigate the presence of environmental Kuznets curve hypothesis while considering the financial sector variables such as financial innovation, financial inclusion, and financial development on the environmental quality as well as achieving the energy efficiency in the Middle Eastern region. Current research employs a panel conditionally homogenous autoregressive (PCHVAR) specification for the annual dataset covering the time 2001-2021. The estimates reveal that in the short run, economic growth and financial sector variables adversely affect the environment quality by emitting more greenhouse gases, whereas in the long run, higher economic growth and developed financial sector help to improve the quality of the environment and energy efficiency. These findings are also verified through the Granger causality test. This research provides insights to establish long-term policies for facilitating investments in green technology and energy conservation in the Middle Eastern region., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

As reported at the 26th UN Climate Change Conference (COP26), worsening climate situation has led to frequent extreme weather events around the world. The main cause of climate change is carbon emissions from human activities. While realizing rapid economic development, China has become the world's largest energy consumer and carbon emitter. To achieve the goal of carbon neutrality by 2060, it should reasonably use natural resources (NR) and promote energy transition (ET). In this study based on panel data on 30 Chinese provinces from 2004 to 2020, second generation panel unit root tests were performed after validating slope heterogeneity and cross-sectional dependency. Mean group (MG) estimation and error correction model were used to empirically test the impact of natural resources and energy transition on CO 2 intensity (CI). The results show that natural resources exerted adverse effects on CI, whereas ET, economic growth and technological innovation were beneficial to CI. Analysis of heterogeneity indicates that natural resources exerted the greatest impact on CI in central China, followed by west China. Its impact in east China was positive but did not pass significance test. West China achieved the best result in carbon reduction through ET, followed by central China and east China. The robustness of the results was checked with augmented mean group (AMG) estimation. Our policy suggestions are to urge reasonable development and utilization of natural resources, accelerate ET to replace fossil fuels with renewable energy, and implement differentiated policies on natural resources and ET based on regional characteristics., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Over the past few decades, rapid or unplanned urbanization has been a major problem for developing countries, affecting the environment very badly. Pakistan is also the fifth most vulnerable country in terms of environmental impact from socio-economic activities. Mostly, this type of research has been conducted across countries. So, this study intends to analyze the role of urbanization in energy consumption, economic growth, trade, and technology in carbon emissions by evaluating data from 1985 to 2021 in the context of Pakistan. Autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) and non-linear autoregressive distributed lag (NARDL) with Granger causality assessment are employed to experimentally examine the variables' short and long-term associations. The ARDL result demonstrates that carbon dioxide (LCO 2 ) emissions are increased by energy consumption (LEC) and technology (LTech), while they are decreased by economic growth (LEG) and trade (LT). In NARDL, rising and falling urbanization (LU) lead to increased carbon emissions, but insignificantly. Ascending LEC leads to increased emissions, whereas descending LEC leads to reduced emissions in the context of short and long-term asymmetry. Yet, the opposite is true in the case of trade: a rise in LT decreases emissions significantly, whereas a fall in LT increases emissions insignificantly. This paper highlights the importance of international trade for a country facing these challenges. This means that LT is at the forefront of emission-reducing technology. A Granger causality analysis results show that LU and LTech are two critical determinants of LCO 2 emissions. Diagnostic tests ensure the model's reliability, ensuring that it could potentially be used without adverse intent. The research concludes that in order to minimize carbon dioxide emissions, the government should encourage the adoption of low-carbon technology through international trade (the exchange or import of low-carbon products) and implement policies tailored to urbanization and energy demand., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

The reduction of carbon emissions has become an important climate issue worldwide. However, the diversity of carbon trading systems and the differentiation policy may generate incomparable carbon abatement costs across regions and countries. Based on the nonparametric model, this paper investigates the shadow price of carbon emissions and energy structure in 38 Asian countries from 1991 to 2019. The main findings of this paper are as follows: (1) The annual average shadow price of carbon emissions experienced a fluctuating decline for Asian countries during the period 1991-2000, followed by a continuous rise and then a fluctuating decline. (2) Industrialization may lead to a decline in carbon shadow price, while urbanization may lead to a rise in the opportunity cost of carbon reduction. (3) The carbon shadow price in countries of Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) is lower than that in non-APEC countries. (4) The structure of energy consumption is negatively related to marginal abatement costs, while on the contrary, the coefficients of the level of human resources are significantly positive. We also derive corresponding policy measures to promote intra-regional emission reduction., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Creating a reliable energy supply, ecological quality, and economic development has become a global effort. Finance is at the center stage ecological transition to low-carbon emission. Against this backdrop, the present work analyses the impact of the financial sector on CO 2 emissions using data from the top 10 emitting emissions economies from 1990 to 2018. Using the novel method of moments quantile regression, the findings illustrate that renewable energy usage enhances ecological quality while economic growth lowers it. The results also affirm that financial development is positively linked with carbon emission in the top 10 emitting emissions economies. These results can be explained by the fact that financial development facilities offer low borrowing rates with less restrictions for environmental sustainability projects. The empirical findings of this study highlight the necessity for policies that boost the proportion of clean energy consumption in the top 10 polluting nations' overall energy mix to reduce carbon emissions. It follows that the financial sectors in these nations must invest in cutting-edge energy-efficient technology and clean, green, and environmentally friendly initiatives. This trend will increase productivity, improve energy efficiency, and reduce pollution., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

The present paper investigates the influence of renewable energy consumption (REC), economic growth (GDP), financial development index (FDI), z-score (ZS) and control of corruption (CC) on carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, for eighteen different APEC economies over the period 2000-2019 using the Pooled Mean Group-Autoregressive Distributed Lags (PMG-ARDL) approach and Granger causality tests. The outcomes of the empirical study confirm that the variables are cointegration using Pedroni tests. The long-run estimates revealed that economic growth and renewable energy contribute to the huge of carbon emissions, while financial development, ZS and CC lead to decrease carbon emissions. Granger causality shows that, in the long-run, there is bidirectional causality between CO2 emissions, economic growth, and financial development. In the short-run and for basic variables, Granger shows a unidirectional causality from CO2 emissions and economic growth to REC and; unidirectional causality from financial development, ZC and CC to CO2 emissions. A comprehensive approach is needed in APEC countries to effectively reduce CO2 emissions and promote sustainable development, including encouraging green financial products, reinforcing financial regulations, transitioning to a low-carbon economy, enhancing renewable energy usage, and improving governance and institutional quality, while considering the distinctive characteristics of each country., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

This study assesses the role of government spending on environmental sustainability based on a framework that combines the environmental Kuznets curve (EKC) hypothesis with the Armey curve hypothesis. Specifically, the inverted U-shaped relationships between carbon (CO 2 ) emissions and economic growth (EKC hypothesis) and between government spending and economic growth (Armey curve hypothesis) are analyzed using a composite EKC model tested for cross-sectional dependence and heterogeneity, panel unit root, panel co-integration, and the augmented mean group estimation. In so doing, this study pursues a potential transmission mechanism leading from government spending to CO 2 emissions through the growth channel and presents a novel way to develop a better understanding of how economic growth policy and energy policy can be synchronized. Empirical results show that economic growth acts as a transmitter between government spending and CO 2 emissions in the USA, UK, and Canada. However, the composite EKC hypotehesis is confirmed only for the USA and Canada, where the optimal level of government spending that maximizes CO 2 emissions is 29.87% and 29.22% of GDP, respectively. In contrast, the optimal level of government spending equivalent to 28.30% of GDP minimizes CO 2 emissions in the UK. The key policy implication is that governments can achieve sustainable economic growth by setting standards for their spending levels., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Every country intends to enhance national production by achieving sustainable development. The purpose of this study is to examine whether there exists any long-run association among environmental deterioration measured by territorial emissions in CO 2 , demographic factors (total population, population density, and urban population) and some other variables, namely, energy use, per capita income, energy intensity, and industrial value added for the 16 countries from the Middle East and North African (MENA) over 1990-2018. We implemented the generalized method of moments (GMM), fully modified ordinary least square (FMOLS), robust least square estimators, and panel Granger causality techniques for estimation. The empirical estimates reveal that there exists a long run cointegration among the series. Results also exhibit that energy use, per capita income, energy intensity, industrial value added, population density, total population, and urban population have positive effects on CO 2 emissions. Furthermore, in each panel, there is bi-directional causality between population density and CO 2 emissions, total population and CO 2 emissions, and urban population and CO 2 emissions. These findings suggest that the policymakers need not exclusively to focus on the transformation of rural labor from an agricultural-based model to urban regions with powerful, dominant industry and services sectors but also related to the changing of rural establishments into urban spaces is required. These changes in demographics involve changes in the demand for additional transportation services, food, shelter, clothing, and other necessities., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

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 CO 2 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., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

In recent years, environmental issues have become controversial, and policymakers are discovering new predictors of carbon emissions. Some economists/researchers have advocated for fiscal decentralization to improve the quality of the environment by offering more financial authority to provincial/local and sub-national governments. Therefore, this work aims to inspect the effect of fiscal decentralization on economic growth and environmental quality in India by taking data from 1996 to 2021. This work applies both ARDL and NARDL econometric models for empirical examination. The findings of this study suggest that expenditure decentralization has asymmetric long-term and short-term consequences on economic growth, and carbon emission in India. The result of the asymmetric ARDL model also indicates that positive and negative shock in expenditure decentralization contrarily affects economic growth and carbon emission. Moreover, the positive and negative shock in revenue decentralization helps in reducing carbon emissions both in the long run and short run in India. These outcomes are useful for policy analysis from the Indian economic policy perspective. The study also laid out potential outcomes that may benefit India's local governments and central government in resolving the issues of economic growth and environmental degradation., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

We use quantile vector autoregression (QVAR) to identify the connection between six variables related to digitalization (proxied by a number of Internet users and mobile cellular subscriptions), green technology development, green energy consumption, carbon dioxide emissions, and economic complexity index from 1996 to 2019 in Vietnam. The dynamic connectedness of the system is 62% and 14% in the short and long term, respectively. Their connectedness is intense for highly positive and negative quantiles (over 80% quantile). In contrast, economic complexity transmits shocks in the short term and manifests itself even more in the long term. Green technology development is the central receiver of short- and long-term shocks. Besides, digitalization captured by a number of Internet users has switched from shock transmitters to shock receivers in the short term. Other metrics like mobile cellular subscriptions, green energy consumption, and CO 2 emissions are mainly shock-receiver-driven. In the short term, there was volatility, especially from 2009 to 2013, due to unprecedented events like destructive changes in political, economic, and financial issues in the globe. Our findings are critical for economists and policymakers in promoting a country's digitalization, green technology performance, and green energy on the path toward sustainable development., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

This study examines how "information and communication technology (ICT)" affects carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) emissions in Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) nations asymmetrically, controlling energy consumption, its intensity, trade, and financial development following an environmental Kuznets curve (EKC) approach. It employs panel data covering 1995-2019, 2 nd generation unit root, Westerlund cointegration tests, nonlinear pooled mean group (PMG) estimate, and Dumitrescu-Hurlin causality check. The Westerlund test validates a long-run association among variables. The study confirms the EKC proposition for the GCC countries. It reveals that a decrease in CO 2 emissions is associated with both positive and negative parts of ICT and the expansion of financial development. While per capita GDP increases pollution, squared GDP per capita reduces it; energy consumption, intensity, and trade amplify carbon emissions. D-H causality check yields several bidirectional and one-way causalities and verifies the robustness of PMG outcomes. Our findings suggest that promoting ICT becomes one of the critical techniques to decrease CO 2 emissions in GCC nations due to its significant negative influence on CO 2 emissions., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

A key strategy for social development and sustainable urban expansion is building sustainable and affordable transport systems. In this study, we aim to test the validity of the environmental Kuznets curve (EKC) hypothesis and reveal the impact of infrastructure investment in transportation systems in China, Turkey, India, and Japan over the period 1995-2020 on environmental degradation. According to dynamic ordinary least squares (DOLS) method analysis, per capita GDP and per capita GDP 3 have a significant positive impact on per capita CO 2 emission, while per capita GDP 2 has a significant adverse impact on per capita CO 2 emission. These results confirm the validity of the N-shaped EKC assumption, while inconsistent with the results of the FMOLS technique, showing that per capita GDP is significantly positive, while per capita GDP 2 and per capita GDP 3 have a significant negative impact on per capita carbon emissions. Moreover, as clarified by the fully modified ordinary least squares (FMOLS) and DOLS methods, road infrastructure investment (RO), aviation infrastructure investment, trade openness, and foreign direct investment (FDI) have significant positive effects, while railway infrastructure investment (RA) has a significant negative effect on per capita carbon emission. Country-level estimates of per capita carbon emission-based DOLS strategies in the model show that only China and Japan have N-shaped EKC hypothesis. Road infrastructure investment, aviation infrastructure investment, and trade openness have significant positive effects, while railway infrastructure investment has a significant negative effect on per capita CO 2 emission in selected central and east Asian countries. The latest electrified rail systems are well thought out and less polluting, so the contribution of rail infrastructure investment to the transport mix can support sustainable and safe transport systems at city center and intercity levels and reduce environmental pollution in central and east Asian countries. Moreover, the implementation of the basic environmental settings of trade agreements should be strengthened to condense the growing impact of free trade on environmental pollution., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Asides from renewable energy consumption, technological innovation and remittances are mostly ignored as critical tools and resources that can be adopted to ameliorate environmental worries, even when remittances have more considerable resource inflow than official development aids. Based on this information, the current research investigates the implications of technological innovation, remittances, globalization, financial development, and renewable energy on CO 2 emissions in top remittances-receiving countries from 1990 to 2021. To obtain reliable estimates, we use a battery of advanced econometric techniques and method of moments quantile regression (MMQR) method. The AMG results suggest that innovation, remittances, renewable energy, and financial development alleviate CO 2 emanations, whereas globalization and economic growth worsen environmental sustainability by increasing CO 2 emissions. Besides, the MMQR results confirm that renewable energy, innovation, and remittances decrease CO 2 emissions across all quantiles. A bidirectional causality exists amid financial development and CO 2 emanations, and across remittances and CO 2 emissions. However, one-way causality flows from economic growth, renewable energy and innovation to CO 2 . This study suggests some essential measures for ecological sustainability in light of the findings., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Considering the alarming rate of environmental degradation, all countries are looking for solutions to close their environmental gaps in order to ensure long-term sustainability. In order to achieve green ecosystems, economies seeking clean energy are motivated to embrace environmentally friendly practices that can support resource efficiency and sustainability. In this sense, the current paper addresses measuring the link between CO 2 emissions, economic growth (GDP), renewable and non-renewable energy (RE), tourism, financial development, foreign direct investment, and urbanization in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The aim of this paper is to empirically evaluate the link between CO 2 emissions and macroeconomic factors in the UAE. The UAE was chosen as the country for the case study as the UAE is one of the world's richest oil-based economies and one of the countries with the highest per capita income, adopts sustainable technologies, and has signed the Paris agreement supporting the transition to clean energy. To verify the environmental Kuznets curve (EKC) for UAE, the timespans for the years 1990-2021 have been chosen according to data availability. The long-run coefficients supported the EKC hypothesis of an inverted U shape for income and CO 2 emissions, according to the findings. Notably, urbanization and financial development both reduce pollution while foreign direct investment increases environmental pollution. The study recommended the creation of more environmental policies to promote sustainable business operations and nationwide green awareness, increase the use of clean energy technology, reduce energy intensity, and achieve a net zero carbon target., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Evidence shows that the European Union (EU) is a leader in using financial innovation to overcome environmental challenges and ensure sustainable development. This study explores the heterogeneous effects of financial innovations on carbon dioxide emissions (CO2) due to their destructive effects in the context of the EU, by employing the novel Method of Moments Quantile Regression (MM-QR). The study also evaluates the environmental Kuznets hypothesis during the period of 2000-2020. We used four proxies for financial innovation; the ratio of the aggregate money supply to narrow money (M3/M1), the ratio of broad to narrow money (M2/M1), the percentage change in domestic credit to the private sector (% of GDP) and a composite index of these indices using the Principal Component Analysis technique. The findings indicate that raising three financial innovation proxies can effectively raise environmental quality. It should be noted that while M3/M1 has a stronger and negative effect on CO2 emissions in low quantiles, M2/M1 has a stronger and negative effect on CO2 emissions in high quantiles. Therefore, it is recommended that a larger amount of M2 and M3 resources be directed towards green projects for financing in countries with both high and low levels of CO2 emissions, respectively., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

This study investigates the role of informality in the relationship among renewable and nonrenewable energy consumption, economic growth, and CO 2 emissions in a panel of 19 Eastern and South African countries. The empirical strategy exploits the panel generalized method of moments, panel fixed effects models using the Driscoll-Kraay standard errors, panel method of moments quantile regressions, and the Dumitrescu-Hurlin bootstrap panel Granger causality analysis. The results are fourfold. First, nonrenewable energy consumption is positively associated with CO 2 emissions, while renewable energy consumption is not. Second, there is a nonlinear ∩ -shaped relationship between economic growth and CO 2 emissions, consistent with the environmental Kuznets curve (EKC) hypothesis. Third, the results show a nonlinear ∪ -shaped relationship between informality and CO 2 emissions, suggesting that higher informality is associated with lower CO 2 emissions up to a certain critical point beyond which further increases in informality precipitate higher CO 2 emissions. Fourth, the results show unidirectional causality from CO 2 emissions to renewable energy, from CO 2 emissions to nonrenewable energy, from informality to CO 2 emissions, and feedback causality between GDP growth and CO 2 emissions., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

The environmental challenges are currently placed at the forefront in order to achieve sustainable development. Although existing studies have largely examined the underlying factors of the environmental sustainability, the institutional quality and the role of information and communication technologies (ICTs) still insufficiently investigated. The aim of this paper is to clarify the role played by institutional quality and ICTs to mitigate environmental degradation at different scales of the ecological gap. Therefore, the purpose of the study is to examine whether the quality of institutions and ICTs consolidate the contribution of renewable energy to reduce the ecological gap and thereby, promote environmental sustainability. The results of panel quantile regression applied to fourteen selected Middle East (ME) and Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) countries from 1984 to 2017 showed that the rule of law, control of corruption, Internet use, and mobile use exert no beneficial effects on environmental sustainability. The ICTs and the institutional development through the presence of an appropriate regulatory framework and the control of corruption have rather advantageous moderating effects on the environmental quality. Indeed, our findings revealed that the effects of renewable energy consumption on the environmental sustainability are positively moderated by the control of corruption, Internet use, and mobile use for countries with medium and high ecological gaps. The beneficial ecological effects of renewable energy are also moderated by the presence of a solid regulatory framework, but only for countries with high ecological gaps. In addition, our results showed that financial development promotes environmental sustainability in countries with low ecological gaps. Urbanization has perverse effects on the environment across all quantiles. The results found lead to important practical implications for preserving the environment as it suggests designing ICTs and improving the quality of institutions oriented to renewable energy sector in order to reduce the ecological gap. In addition, the findings from this paper can serve decision-makers in terms of environmental sustainability given the globalizing and conditional approach followed., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

The prime objective of this study is to examine the heterogenous impacts of money supply, commodity prices, and trade balance on the greener energy growth in BRICS economies. The BRICS economies are the leading trade block and have huge investments on greener energy projects. In doing so, we employ the data from January 2010 to May 2021 and employed panel fixed regression methods. The findings mention that change in inflation, export, import, industrial production, foreign direct investment (FDI), price of commodities, and money supply significantly affect greener energy growth. Notably, we observe that foreign investments, commodity prices, and money supply are the key factors for greener growth in BRICS economies. Overall, the study concludes interesting conclusions and implications in context of sustainability., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Five phyllosilicates (kaolinite, montmorillonite, saponite, sepiolite and palygorskite) have been selected as starting materials for the synthesis of zeolites. Among them, kaolinite and montmorillonite display the lowest Si/Al molar ratio leading to aluminosilicates with high crystallinity. Thus, the hydrothermal treatment under basic conditions forms 4A zeolite when kaolinite is used as starting material while 13X zeolite is obtained when montmorillonite is used as starting material. The microporosity and CO 2 -adsorption capacity of the prepared zeolites are directly related to its crystallinity. Thus, in order to improve it, raw phyllosilicates were subjected to a microwave-assisted treatment to remove undesired Mg or Fe-species, which have a negative effect in the assembling of the zeolites by hydrothermal basic conditions in a second step. The highest adsorption value was 3.85 mmol/g at 25 °C and 760 mm of Hg for Mont-A-B sample after the consecutive treatments., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Syngas produced from supercritical water gasification typically contain a high amount of CO 2 along with H 2 . In order to improve the quality of syngas, amine-functionalized copper benzene-1,3,5-tricarboxylate (Cu-BTC) was synthesized as an effective adsorbent for selective removal of CO 2 from syngas to increase the concentration of H 2 . The amines used in this study included monoethanolamine (MEA), ethylenediamine (EDA), and polyethyleneimine (PEI). The fundamental physicochemical character of adsorbents, CO 2 adsorption capacity, and CO 2 /H 2 selectivity were analyzed. The physicochemical characterization indicated that the structure of amine-functionalized Cu-BTC was partially damaged, which resulted in a decrease in specific surface area and pore volume. On the other hand, the enlarged pore size was beneficial for the mass transfer of gas in the adsorbent. Among these adsorbents, Cu-BTC/PEI exhibited the maximum CO 2 adsorption capacity of 3.83 mmol/g and the highest CO 2 /H 2 selectivity of 19.74. It was found that the adsorption pressure is the most significant factor for the CO 2 adsorption capacity. Lower temperature and higher pressure were favored for CO 2 adsorption capacity and CO 2 /H 2 selectivity, so physical adsorption by Cu-BTC played a dominant role. Moreover, Cu-BTC/PEI can be well-regenerated with stable adsorption efficiency after five consecutive cycles. These findings suggested that Cu-BTC/PEI could be a promising alternative adsorbent for CO 2 capture from syngas., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Countries around the world have set aggressive carbon emission reduction targets using various carbon reduction technologies to overcome the worsening global climate crisis. However, amid concerns among experts that such aggressive targets are difficult to achieve with existing carbon reduction technology, CCUS technology has gained recognition as an innovative technology, showing great promise in directly removing carbon dioxide and achieving carbon neutrality. This study employed a two-stage network DEA to analyze efficiency at knowledge diffusion and application stages of CCUS technology in relation to country-specific R&D environments. Based on the analysis, the following conclusions were derived. First, countries with higher standards of innovation in science and technology were more focused on quantitative R&D outcomes, making them less efficient in the diffusion and application stages. Second, countries with heavier dependence on manufacturing were less efficient in the diffusion of research outcomes due to difficulties in enforcing strong environmental-friendly policies. Lastly, countries with heavier dependence on fossil fuels were actively promoting CCUS development as a solution to carbon dioxide emissions, and such efforts were a driving factor in the diffusion and application of R&D outcomes. The significance of this study lies in analyzing the efficiency of CCUS technology in terms of knowledge diffusion and application, which are clearly distinct from a quantitative R&D efficiency analysis, thereby serving as a valuable reference in the establishment of country-specific R&D strategies for greenhouse gas reduction., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

The cement industry is among the top three polluters among all industries and the examination of the nonlinear and cointegration dynamics between cement production and CO 2 emissions has not been explored. Focusing on this research gap, the study employs a novel Markov-switching autoregressive distributed lag (MS-ARDL) model and its generalization to vector error correction, the MS-VARDL model, for regime-dependent causality testing. The new method allows the determination of nonlinear long-run and short-run relations, regime duration, and cement-induced-CO 2 emission cycles in the USA for a historically long dataset covering 1900-2021. Empirical findings point to nonlinearity in all series and nonlinear cointegration between cement production and cement-induced CO 2 emissions. The phases of regimes coincide closely with NBER's official economic cycles for the USA. The second regime, characterized by expansions, lasts twice as long relative to the first, the contractionary regime, which contains severe economic recessions, as well as economic crises, the 1929 Great Depression, the 1973 Oil Crisis, the 2009 Great Recession, and the COVID-19 Shutdown and Wars, including WWI and II. In both regimes, the adverse effects of cement production on CO 2 emissions cannot be rejected with varying degrees both in the long and the short run. Markov regime-switching vector autoregressive distributed lag (MS-VARDL) causality tests confirm unidirectional causality from cement production to CO 2 emissions in both regimes. The traditional Granger causality test produces an over-acceptance of causality in a discussed set of cases. Industry-level policy recommendations include investments to help with the shift to green kiln technologies and energy efficiency. National-level policies on renewable energy and carbon capture are also vital considering the energy consumption of cement production., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

The nexus between food production (FP), energy consumption (EC), institutional quality (IQ), and ecological degradation (ED) has important implications for environmental sustainability. Nevertheless, environmental degradation caused by FP is widely ignored, especially in Pakistan. To fill this void, we investigated the impact of energy use, FP, and IQ on Pakistan's environmental degradation between 1990 and 2021. We also explore the moderating influence of IQ on ED. To evaluate this influence, we use the autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) method for cointegration and the fully modified ordinary least-squares method for robustness estimation. Our empirical results demonstrate that, whereas FP and EC contribute to pollution, IQ reduces the pace of environmental degradation. Furthermore, the presence of a strong IQ mitigates the harmful ecological effects of FP and EC. Moreover, the results revealed that unbiased domestic IQ is crucial to boosting energy and agricultural efficiency while reducing CO 2 emissions. Our findings might be considered while public policies to reduce carbon emissions and increase FP in a healthy environment are being developed. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2024;20:518-532. © 2023 (SETAC)., (© 2023 (SETAC).)

Recently, countries have been making intensive efforts to alleviate the burden on the environment and to make environmental conditions sustainable. In this context, our study aims to investigate the long-term impact of renewable energy consumption (REC) and human capital (HC) by considering the load capacity factor (LCF). We also investigate the long-term impact of economic growth (Y) and non-renewable energy consumption (NREC) on the LCF. In this context, we analyze annual data for the U.S. for the period 1965-2018 using the newly developed augmented ARDL (AARDL) approach. The long-term empirical results show the following. i) Increases in Y negatively affect LCF and deteriorate environmental quality. ii) Increases in NREC negatively affect LCF and accelerate the deterioration of environmental quality. iii) REC has no significant impact on environmental quality. iv) Increases in HC support the improvement of environmental quality. The empirical results show that contrary to expectations, renewable energy consumption does not have a significant impact on environmental quality in the U.S., whereas human capital is an important factor in improving environmental quality. In this context, US policymakers should pave the way for more investment in eco-friendly renewable energy investments and human capital to establish sustainable environmental quality. Policymakers should also take steps to reduce the use of fossil fuels., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Promoting renewable energy (RE) is one key strategy to increase energy security and mitigate global warming. What really influences the development of RE has aroused public attention worldwide. Numerous studies have identified and evaluated the critical influence factors (CIFs) for renewable energy development (RED); however, there seems to be no consensus among the previous studies on these CIFs and their importance level or influence direction. Given that, this study, for the first time, conducts a systematic review and meta-analysis of the CIFs for RED. With evidence from 33,119 observations in 67 studies between 2010 and 2022, 44 CIFs distributed in political, economic, environmental, social, and technological (PEEST) dimensions were selected from an international perspective. Results demonstrate that (i) 27 CIFs with statistical significance and their rank list were identified through meta-analysis. Some of them were mentioned many times in previous studies, but their significance for RED was not very high. (ii) The top three driving factors in CIFs' significance rank list were industrial infrastructure investment, R&D, and financial development, and the top three inhibiting factors were the fossil-based energy consumption structure, policy uncertainty, and population life. (iii) The publication year, country's economy, and links of the RED value chain have a moderating effect on some CIFs' influence mechanisms. This study not only contributes to the existing RED knowledge body but also provides references to policymakers and practitioners in formulating policies and good practices to promote renewable energy., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

With carbon emissions becoming more and more closely related to human activities and China being the world's largest emitter of carbon dioxide, the cost of environmental quality deterioration is high and environmental sustainability is low. Against this background, it is urgent to implement low-carbon recycling and green development by introducing green funds based on the role of environmental regulation intensity. Therefore, based on the data of 30 provinces from 2004 to 2019, the paper considers the dynamic impact of environmental regulation intensity and green finance development on regional environmental sustainability. The provincial data involve specific spatial locations and focus on the economic interactions among provinces, and the spatial econometric model is very applicable. Based on the spatial econometric model, this paper empirically examines the direct effect, spatial spillover effect, and total effect, considering both spatial and temporal patterns. The research shows that (1) China's provincial environmental sustainability shows a noticeable spatial agglomeration effect, which is significantly and spatially autocorrelated and clustered. (2) Based on the national level, an increase in the intensity of environmental regulation will significantly increase regional environmental sustainability, and the development of green finance will also significantly increase regional environmental sustainability. Additionally, the environmental regulation intensity has a significant positive spatial spillover effect, which may increase environmental sustainability in neighboring provinces. There is also a significant positive spatial spillover effect of the impact of green finance development on environmental sustainability. (3) Based on the provincial level, the impact of environmental regulation and green financial development on environmental sustainability in each region is significantly positive, with the most significant impact in the western region and the smallest coefficient in the eastern region. The paper proposes policy and managerial implications to promote regional environmental sustainability based on the above findings., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Objectives: To compare the carbon footprint and environmental impact of single-use and reusable flexible cystoscopes., Materials and Methods: We analysed the expected clinical lifecycle of single-use (Ambu aScope™ 4 Cysto) and reusable (Olympus CYF-V2) flexible cystoscopes, from manufacture to disposal. Performance data on cumulative procedures between repairs and before decommissioning were derived from a high-volume multispecialty practice. We estimated carbon expenditures per-case using published data on endoscope manufacturing, energy consumption during transportation and reprocessing, and solid waste disposal., Results: A fleet of 16 reusable cystoscopes in service for up to 135 months averaged 207 cases between repairs and 3920 cases per lifecycle. Based on a manufacturing carbon footprint of 11.49 kg CO 2 /kg device for reusable flexible endoscopes and 8.54 kg CO 2 /kg device for single-use endoscopes, the per-case manufacturing cost was 1.37 kg CO 2 for single-use devices and 0.0017 kg CO 2 for reusable devices. The solid mass of single-use and reusable devices was 0.16 and 0.57 kg, respectively. For reusable devices, the energy consumption of reusable device reprocessing using an automated endoscope reprocessor was 0.20 kg CO 2 , and per-case costs of device repackaging and repair were 0.005 and 0.02 kg CO 2 , respectively. The total estimated per-case carbon footprint of single-use and reusable devices was 2.40 and 0.53 kg CO 2 , respectively, favouring reusable devices., Conclusion: In this lifecycle analysis, the environmental impact of reusable flexible cystoscopes is markedly less than single-use cystoscopes. The primary contributor to the per-case carbon cost of reusable devices is energy consumption of reprocessing., (© 2022 BJU International.)

Global warming is a life-threatening risk to mankind and its survival; to combat this risk, the considerable contribution of renewable energy cannot be overlooked for sustainable growth globally. The aim of this paper is to scrutinize the threshold level and asymmetric connection among renewable energy consumption, foreign direct investment, financial inclusion, and agricultural productivity in dissimilar regimes of the different income levels of 123 countries from 1995 to 2019 by applying an advance technique PSTR (panel smooth transition regression) model. The PSTR model results imply that the connection between renewable energy consumption and agricultural productivity at all the estimates is non-linear. Moreover, in all countries, there is a positive and significant connection among renewable energy consumption, foreign direct investment, financial inclusion, and agricultural productivity in both low and high regimes, except the carbon emission, which has a negative and significant impact on agricultural productivity. Based on the results of this study, the recommendations are as follows: (i) to increase renewable energy consumption, efficient-energy resources should be used by farmers for the agricultural process; (ii) the dependence on non-renewable energy resources should be minimized and shifted towards natural and renewable resources., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

China has announced a target of achieving carbon peaking by 2030 and carbon neutrality by 2060. Therefore, it is important to assess the economic impacts and emission reduction effects of China's low-carbon policies. In this paper, a multi-agent dynamic stochastic general equilibrium (DSGE) model is established. We analyze the effects of carbon tax and carbon cap-and-trade policies under both deterministic and stochastic conditions, as well as their ability to cope with stochastic shocks. We found that (1) from a deterministic perspective, these two policies have the same effect. Every 1% cut in CO 2 emissions will bring a 0.12% output loss, a 0.5% drop in demand for fossil fuels, and a 0.05% rise in demand for renewable energy; (2) from a stochastic perspective, effects of these two policies are different. This is mainly because economic uncertainty does not change the cost of CO 2 emissions under a carbon tax policy, but it does change the price of CO 2 quotas and the emission reduction behaviors under a carbon cap-and-trade policy; (3) from an economic volatility perspective, both two policies can act as automatic stabilizers. Compared to a carbon tax, a cap-and-trade policy can better ease economic fluctuations. The results of this study provide implications for policy-making., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

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 (CO 2 ) 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 CO 2 emissions., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

This article investigates the relationship between energy poverty and public expenditure for a sample of 20 Sub-Saharan countries over the period 2006-2020. This paper focuses on three research objectives. First is using a panel data threshold model with fixed effects proposed by Hansen (J Econom 93(2):345-368, 1999) to detect the presence of the nonlinear effect of public expenditure on energy poverty. Second, we try to explain the effect of public expenditure transmission channels on energy poverty. Third, we explore the impact of public expenditure on energy poverty considering the role of institution factors. Thus, our analysis approves the existence of a link between energy poverty and public expenditure with a threshold of about 17.65% of GDP. In addition, CO2 emissions can accelerate the growth of energy poverty in SSA countries. Indeed, the results show that in countries with high energy poverty, there is a bidirectional causal link between CO2 emissions and energy poverty. This would provide a better understanding of the relationship between public expenditure and energy poverty suggesting useful implications for policymakers in targeting sustainable energy., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Balanced and sustainable development is one of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) objectives. Therefore, considering the role of urbanization and human capital as critical elements for sustainable development, we analyzed the moderating effect of human capital on the relationship between urbanization and CO 2 emissions in Asian member countries of the Belt and Road Initiative. In doing so, we used the STIRPAT framework and the environmental Kuznets curve (EKC) hypothesis. We also employed the pooled OLS estimator with the Driscoll-Kraay's robust standard errors, the feasible generalized least squares (FGLS), and the two-stage least square (2SLS) estimators in the case of 30 BRI countries for the period 1980-2019. The relationship between urbanization, human capital, and carbon dioxide emissions were examined first by showing a positive correlation between urbanization and carbon dioxide emissions. Secondly, we showed that human capital mitigated the positive effect of urbanization on CO 2 emissions. Next, we demonstrated that human capital had an inverted U-shaped effect on CO 2 emissions. Specifically, a 1% increase in urbanization rose CO 2 emissions by 0.756%, 0.943%, and 0.592% following the Driscoll-Kraay's OLS, the FGLS, and the 2SLS estimators, respectively. A 1% increase in the combination of human capital and urbanization reduced CO 2 by 0.751%, 0.834%, and 0.682%, respectively. Finally, a 1% increase in the square of human capital decreased CO 2 emissions by 1.061%, 1.045%, and 0.878%, respectively. Accordingly, we provide policy implications on the conditional influence of human capital in the urbanization-CO 2 emission nexus for sustainable development in these countries., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

The aim of this study is to test the environment Kuznets curve (EKC) and pollution haven (PH) hypotheses in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). An important methodological point that has been over-looked by many studies is that environmental quality is not only correlated in time but also in space. For this purpose, the study applies spatial panel econometric analysis using a balanced panel of 35 SSA nations from 2002 to 2015 to examine the EKC and PH hypotheses. Both spatial interdependence and individual heterogeneity are accounted for through the application of the spatial Durbin model (SDM) so as to avoid potential bias and inefficiencies in parameter estimates. As proxies for environmental quality, panel data aggregates on carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) emissions and the depletion of natural resources are utilised. The findings offer proof for the EKC theory about the depletion of natural resources in SSA. The EKC theory, however, does not apply to CO 2 emissions. Moreover, the study finds that the positive scale effect of trade outweighs the negative technique effect of trade, which indicates that trade liberalisation has a negative effect on both environmental quality indices. This discovery supports the PH theory. The study also demonstrates positive spatial spill-over for natural resource depletion between neighbouring countries and negative spatial spill-over for carbon dioxide emission between close countries., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Present climate change consists of global warming that is caused by the emission of greenhouse gases, generally carbon dioxide. The study examines the pollution haven, pollution halo, and environmental Kuznets curve for a number of Asian countries during the period of 1985 to 2020. Outcomes suggest that urbanization, gross domestic product per capita, energy consumption, and foreign direct investment inflow have positive effects, while gross domestic product square, foreign direct investment square, and tourism have negative effects on emissions of carbon dioxide. Furthermore, findings support the validity of the environmental Kuznets curve, pollution haven, and pollution halo hypothesis for the selected Asian countries. We also find robust results of rationality of the environmental Kuznets curve hypothesis for Pakistan, Bangladesh, India, China, Indonesia, Korea, Japan, Malaysia, Vietnam, and Singapore; of pollution haven hypothesis for Bangladesh, China, Indonesia, Japan, Pakistan, and Singapore; and of pollution halo hypothesis for Bangladesh, China, Indonesia, Japan, Pakistan, and Singapore., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

This study explores the role of governance in shaping the environmental Kuznets curve (EKC), especially focusing on its curvature and turning point. The study highlights the role of various governance indicators in the formulation, implementation, and enforcement of environmental regulations. However, the study asserts that since in developing countries poverty, infrastructure, and human development are valued above a clean environment, good governance is less likely to contribute to mitigating pollution in developing countries. Using a panel of 160 countries, the study finds that better governance helps bring down the critical level of per capita income at which the relationship between income and pollution turns negative. Furthermore, the EKC can be shifted downward by improving governance in the respective countries. The study, however, reveals that the dividends of better governance are more pronounced at higher income levels. Since good governance works only when the desired regulations are in place, it is recommended that for poor countries aid packages for governance reforms need to emphasize the enactment of specific environmental regulations. Investment in institutions is expected to yield maximum dividends in such countries that have gained high-income status but are still lacking in institutional development., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

There has been a plethora of debate on the link between fiscal decentralization and a drop in carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) emissions, even though the evidence supporting this assertion is relatively sparse. Although the precise nature of this relationship is still up for discussion, economic hypothesis postulates that fiscal decentralization has an impact on environmental sustainability. Some researchers claim that fiscal decentralization could potentially result in a race to the top, while some believe it would lead to a race to the bottom. This analysis intends to shed light on the precise processes by which this connection may work in South Africa between 1960 and 2020 in light of current discussions in environmental and development economics. In contrary to previous studies, this paper employs a cutting-edge dynamic autoregressive distributed lag simulations methodology to evaluate the positive and negative variations in fiscal decentralization on CO 2 emissions. Our findings demonstrate the prevalence of the race to the top strategy by illustrating how fiscal decentralization has a bearing on CO 2 emissions reduction in the short and long terms. In accordance with the findings, greater fiscal decentralization should be implemented through the transfer of more powers to regional authorities, especially in the realm of environmental legislation considerations, in a bid to preserve South Africa's environmental integrity. By establishing a lower tier of government and defining roles at the federal and provincial divisions, South Africa could adopt strategies to improve green environment in an effort to fulfill the energy-saving tasks of fiscal expenditures., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)