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Technological innovation is considered one of the most significant production variables. The influence of natural resource rents on this factor is crucial to the success of nations' sustainability with abundant natural resources. Driven by a theoretical argument, this research investigates the impact of natural resource rents on technological innovation by engaging the "instrumental variable fixed-effect method." With "Driscoll–Kraay's robust standard errors," the research accounts for "cross-sectional dependency" in a panel of 79 economies from 1995 to 2021. The empirical results confirm that natural resource rents positively and significantly impact innovation measured with trademark and patent applications. The findings also indicate that the components of natural resource rents, such as oil and natural gas rents, significantly promote technological innovation. The findings also indicate the roles of human development, financial development, and trade economies in the impact of natural resource rents on technological innovation. Due to heterogeneity, the analysis categorizes countries based on their economic development into "developed," "transition," and "developing" economies. The article finishes with policy implications, arguing that natural resource rent support a more resource-efficient economy and move toward a more circular economy targeted for sustainability. Therefore, emerging markets that initiate natural resource rents can support human capital and financial services through financial sector development and trade in maximizing technological innovation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study provides an empirical analysis of the impact of the disaster on technological innovation by employing the instrumental variable (2SLS) method and instrumental variable fixed-effect method in a panel of 45 African economies from 1990 to 2019. The empirical results confirm disaster's negative and significant impact on innovation. A 1% increase in a disaster will lead to about − 13.750% decrease in scientific journals, − 3.302% decrease in R&D, and − 3.644% decrease in the TFP, respectively. These findings are supported by panel quantile regression. The study identifies four possible channels through which disaster lowers innovation in African economies: (i) reducing trade, (ii) total investment opportunities, and (iii) human capital. Various robustness tests support our findings. Finally, the study bolsters historical capital models for the adoption of cutting-edge technology in the building, provides critical policy recommendations on environmental laws, and advocates for disaster-response policies; decentralization of the energy industry away from disaster-affected areas for greater private sector participation; financial incentives for start-ups to facilitate trade and investment; creating a culture of prevention, preparation, and resilience at all levels via knowledge and innovation; and reconstruction as a method of establishing disaster-resistant structures and habitat to offer a safer living environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]