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This paper examines the role of the circular economy and inclusive green growth in promoting energy transition and carbon neutrality for several European countries during 2009–2021, using an advanced econometric strategy. To achieve this objective, we employed a three-pronged empirical strategy. The first strategy involved standard panel specifications, such as pooled ordinary least squares, Fixed Effects, Roger panel regression, white panel regression, and Driscoll–Kraay standard errors. The second strategy explored the long- and short-term dynamics of the relationships using the dynamic specifications of the Generalised Method of Moments, comprising the augmented Arellano–Bond, Ahn–Schmidt, Arellano–Bond, and Arellano–Bover/Blundell–Bond estimators. It further controls for endoegeneity using the Two stages Lease Square (2SLS and Lewbel 2SLS). The third strategy employed the Machado and Silva quantiles via moments to re-evaluate the heterogeneity drivers of carbon neutrality. Furthermore, an alternative and complementary strategy based on the statistical procedures of Hausman–Taylor and Feasible Generalized Least Squares was employed to verify robustness. The findings suggest that prior carbon emissions positively predict future emissions. Also, our results reveal that the adoption of a circular economy, including green growth and renewable energy, can significantly contribute to reducing carbon emissions. In contrast, domestic economic drivers, and eco-innovation increase carbon emissions. We propose that policymakers mandate producers to oversee the entirety of their product life cycles as a means to mitigate carbon emissions. Furthermore, endorsing training programs and educational initiatives aimed at cultivating the requisite skills for the energy transition and the adoption of circular economy practices is imperative for ensuring the realization of a successful low-carbon economy.

Across 24 OECD countries, monetary policy and financial development do help deliver a low-carbon economy, but through distinct mechanisms rather than one channel.

The urgent imperative to confront the complex interplay between managing natural resources and fostering technological innovation, particularly in OECD countries, has become a focal point in global conversations. It is abundantly clear that critical issues such as the rampant overexploitation of our natural resources, insufficient embrace of sustainable practices, and the profound repercussions of technological advancements on our ecological footprint demand meticulous scrutiny and comprehensive action. This scrutiny is vital to guide the formulation of judicious policies and strategies capable of addressing these complex challenges. The challenges faced by OECD countries, distinguished by their advanced industrialization, and elevated standards of living, are further compounded by the depletion of natural resources resulting from extensive economic activities. The extraction and utilization of resources, encompassing water, minerals, and energy, emerge as significant contributors to ecological degradation. The heightened demand for raw materials to sustain technological industries has precipitated the overexploitation and depletion of natural resources, manifesting in activities such as mining, deforestation, and other extraction processes, leading to habitat destruction and biodiversity loss. Furthermore, the manufacturing and utilization of technology, particularly within industries heavily reliant on non-renewable energy sources, have been substantial contributors to pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. The study assesses the dynamic relationship between natural resources, economic growth, and technological innovation with respect to ecological footprints. It analyses the annual data series of a panel of 20 organisation for economic cooperation and development countries using the second-generation cointegration panel and cross-sectional autoregressive distributed lag methodology. The results of the slope coefficient confirm the existence of slope heterogeneity among countries. Furthermore, it affirms the long-term relationship among variables. Overall, the findings highlight the importance of effective utilisation of resources while investing in technological innovation to attain sustainable development goals.

This study aims to explore whether globalization and technology are harmful to health using a global panel data set of 52 countries over the period 1990-2019. The study focused on four continents: Africa, the Americas, Asia and Oceania and Europe. The authors used four advanced econometric methodologies, which include the standard panel fixed effect (FE), Arellano–Bover and Blundell-Bond dynamic panel, Hausman-Taylor specification and two-stage least squares (FE-2SLS) and Lewbel-2SLS approaches. The empirical evidence highlights the significance of globalization and technology in promoting global health. The findings suggest that globalization has various impacts on global health indicators and that technology is useful in tracking, monitoring and promoting global health. In addition, the empirical evidence indicates that a truly health-centred process of globalization and technological innovation can only be realized by ensuring that the interests of countries and vulnerable populations to health risks are adequately considered in international decision-making regarding global economic integration.

We examine the role of Information Technological Infrastructure (ITI) in promoting climate resilience and environmental quality in OECD countries. Our empirical strategy is framed in the advanced econometrics methodology. Our analysis begins with standard specification, which controls for unobserved factors in the panel data. We then explore the variables' long and short-run relationships using the Generalised Method of Moment dynamic family specifications. We also evaluate the heterogeneity drivers of environmental quality using Quantile via Moment. The analysis is also extended using alternative and complementary statistical procedures by Hausman–Taylor and Feasible Generalised Least Squares as robustness checks. Our findings indicate that ITI and renewable energy significantly mitigates carbon emissions and can be helpful in achieving a net-zero target. In contrast, the empirical evidence reveals that economic growth and non-renewable energy usage are harmful to the environment. The finding also suggests a significant degree of heterogeneity exists in the covariates on the conditional distribution of environmental quality and its driven factors. While the findings reaffirm the significance of ITI in ensuring careful planning and monitoring of critical infrastructure, they also show that ITI can be used to balance the entire system by creating resilience. We strongly suggest that policymakers should use ITI to spur innovation and drive better solutions for energy transition and environmental improvement.

Fish farms are occasionally built on delicate natural habitats, which can have severe environmental effects. Many industrial fishing methods also devastate aquatic habitats with the addition of overfishing practices. While environmentalists and academics have been concerned about the rapid extinction of fishery resources, the existing evidence is still inconclusive. This study examined whether catching overfishing could explain the environmental Kuznets curve (EKC) hypothesis among Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries. The study used four empirical strategies, which are framed in the panel time series analysis. (a) it assessed the prior behaviour of the variables based on second-generation panel unit roots tests using Cross-sectional ADF(CADF) and Cross-sectional IPS. (b) it also assessed the potential long-run relationship among the variables using the Westerlund Panel Cointegration test. (c) it explores the fishery Kuznets curve for OECD countries using Cross-sectional Dependency - Autoregressive Distributed Lag (CS-ARDL) and Augmented Mean Group (AMG) methodology. (d) it also examines the short direction of causality among the variables using the Dumitrescu – Hurlin Panel Granger Causality test, which is built on standardised panel statistics suitable for small sample properties, even in the presence of cross-sectional dependency. Five main findings can be deduced from our analysis. Firstly, the preliminary check confirms are only stationary only after the first difference. Secondly, the analysis also suggests that there is a long-run relationship among the variables. Thirdly, the findings showed that fish exploration has a negative effect on carbon emissions. Fourthly, the quadratic term of economic growth unidirectionally Granger causes CO2 emissions. Fifthly, we found evidence in support of the EKC hypothesis across OECD countries. Finally, our results highlighted the importance of fishery control in promoting environmental quality among OECD countries. We recommend reform in public policy that encourages sustainable fishing along with innovative research into modern fishing methods that reduces emissions. A better method of fishing can be developed with the support of cutting-edge research, which can also help reduce water pollution and the threat that overfishing poses to biodiversity.

This study explores the impact of green innovation and renewable energy on carbon emissions, considering the mediating role of social inclusivity for a panel of 24 countries in the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) from 1994 to 2019. The empirical strategy is framed in a generalized method of moments dynamic panel, which is novel for assessing the short-and long-term relationships among the variables. By controlling for confounders, we assessed the mechanism by which green innovation and renewable energy contribute to carbon emissions. Furthermore, for consistency with prior empirical research, we extended the analysis using alternative statistical specification by Hausman–Taylor and the feasible generalized least squares, which controls for potential endogeneity issues and cross-panel correlation. Our analysis suggests that green innovation and economic growth are positive and statistically significant predictors of carbon emissions. However, renewable energy and social inclusiveness were both negative and significant predictors of carbon emissions. These results suggest that renewable energy and social inclusiveness can serve as remedies for promoting environmental quality and reducing carbon emissions in OECD countries. Therefore, we recommend promoting the expansion of renewable energy at a lower cost to unserved and underserved communities and promoting social inclusiveness to achieve a net zero emission target.

In OECD countries, emissions trading systems and the energy transition jointly lower carbon intensity, though the ETS effect hinges on coverage and design.

The trends in affluence and carbon emissions remain a concern in view of the pressing need to establish conditions for sustainable development. Scientific evidence reveals that if far-reaching reforms of technological innovation are not undertaken, the environment will deteriorate beyond repair, which will be detrimental to the development agenda. Our study explored whether technological innovation has failed to anticipate the rise in affluence factors that dictate the level of economic activities and associated carbon emissions. We analysed the relationships between technological innovation and affluence and carbon emissions. The empirical strategy followed the standard panel fixed effects, Arellano–Bover/Blundell–Bond dynamic panel analysis, and the Hausman–Taylor methodology. The results of our dynamic econometric tests did not reject the Stochastic Impact by Regression on Population, Affluence, and Technology framework for the successful reduction of carbon emissions through technological innovation. Our findings further suggest that improved technological innovation can not only predict and identify carbon emissions but may also be used to monitor and mitigate their impacts. We recommend strategies for promoting technological innovation to accelerate reductions in carbon emissions without compromising sustainability.

The lack of agreement on climate policies among stock-market investors has raised significant concerns about GHG-emission levels, …