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One of the worst natural, economic, and social catastrophes caused by human activity is the Aral Sea crisis in Central Asia. The Aral Sea’s desiccation, which has an impact on the region’s overall sustainable development, human welfare, security, and survival, is what led to the problem. This study assesses the effects of economic expansion, population ageing, life expectancy, internet usage, and greenhouse gas emissions on the fertility rate in the countries that made up the Aral Sea basin between 1990 and 2021. Several econometric techniques were used in this study, including Pooled OLS (Ordinary Least Squares) with the Driscoll–Kraay estimating method, FMOLS (Fully Modified Ordinary Least Square), and DOLS (Dynamic Ordinary Least Square). Additionally, we used the Hurlin and Dumitrescu non-cause tests to verify the causal links between the variables. The empirical findings verify that a decrease in the fertility rate among women in the nations surrounding the Aral Sea occurs when the population of a certain age (women aged 15–64 as a percentage of the total population) grows and life expectancy rises. Greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) also have an adverse effect on reproductive rates. Conversely, the region’s fertility rate may rise as a result of increased internet usage and economic growth. Furthermore, this study indicates that certain variables—aside from greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs)—have a causal relationship with the fertility rate.

Central Asia (CA) is a young integrated region formed after the collapse of the Soviet Union, with most of its infrastructure based on fossil fuels. The traditional energy and water infrastructure is facing huge inefficiency and technical losses. This study investigates the transition of the green, blue, and energy economies in Central Asia using a small-dimensional panel dataset on five countries, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan, over the period 1995–2018. The authors analyze the impact of ecological footprint, water withdrawal, and energy consumption on gross domestic product. In applying the Panel Vector Error Correction Model, evidence was found supporting the long-running association between variables. Furthermore, the adjustment coefficients suggest that only GDP growth will adjust toward equilibrium. Overall, the findings suggest a more effective role of green transition compared to blue and energy transitions.

Remittances are a crucial part of economic expansion, especially in Central Asia. Nevertheless, it is not possible to ignore its environmental damage. This paper is a pioneer in investigating the association among CO2 emissions, remittances, energy consumption and economic development in Central Asian countries (Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan) spanning the period of 1995–2022. As a methodology, the FMOLS estimator is applied to check linear impact and long-run association as well. Panel threshold regression model and 2SLS method are applied to examine potential non-linear relations among the studied variables. Hausman–Taylor and Amacurdy estimators are employed to control the endogeneity issue among the variables of interest. The results suggest the existence of a long-run relationship among the studied variables. Precisely, applying the FMOLS method, remittances negatively impact CO2 emissions in the long run. The relationship between CO2 emissions and remittances is distorted when the endogeneity issue is considered with the Panel threshold regression model, 2SLS method, and Hausman–Taylor and Amacurdy estimators. This distortion validates the linear impact of remittances on CO2 emissions in CA. The Dumitrescu–Hurlin causality test shows that all independent variables have a causal effect on the dependent variable, validating the effect of the studied variables. Consequently, decision-makers should facilitate remittances towards more environmentally friendly and sustainable solutions to prevent the detrimental effects of remittance inflows on carbon emissions in Central Asia.

Environmental sustainability concerns are growing worldwide. Reducing carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions is crucial to combating global warming and reaching sustainable global economic development. Many recent studies have focused on key indicators of CO2 emissions, but less consideration has been given to associated factors such as renewable energy and human capital. This article applies the two-step system FOD-GMM (Forward-Orthogonal Deviations-Generalized Method of Moments) to estimate the role of renewable energy and human capital in reducing environmental degradation in Europe and Central Asia. The results reveal that renewable energy consumption and human capital have a significant negative impact on CO2 emissions in the EU and Central Asian countries, government efficiency has a positive effect on CO2 emissions, and economic development has a neutral effect, confirming the strong role of renewable energy and human capital in reducing CO2 emissions in EU and Central Asian countries. The role of human capital and renewable energy in promoting CO2 reduction should be fully utilized. Policymakers should develop infrastructure for renewable energy and education to support the decrease in CO2 emissions in Europe and Central Asia.

The economics of globalization are changing due to digitization. The increasing global scope of digital platforms is lowering the cost of cross-border communications, allowing companies to connect with customers and suppliers across borders. This leads to the emergence of new competitors from anywhere in the world, increasing competition within an industry. The main objective of this research was to conduct an analysis of the DIANA Economy and Global RPM and to examine the various definitions and concepts of measuring the digital and analog economies in a comprehensive approach. Furthermore, this study analyzes and ranks the changes that countries around the globe have seen in their digital competitiveness, presenting the foundations of analog and digital economies and refining their definitions. Based on the results, most countries, 41 out of 60, are analog and anatal, which implies that they rely on an analog economy and need to develop digitalization strategies to transition from analog to digital. By providing rankings, policy implications, and strategies tailored to different population categories, it offers a roadmap for countries and businesses seeking to thrive in an increasingly digitalized world.