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This study employed advanced panel data analysis, accounting for cross‐sectional dependence and heterogeneity, to investigate the impact of tourism development and economic output on forest areas in major international tourist markets. The research was guided by forest transformation hypothesis (FTH). The study assessed the validity of FTH, examined the influence of tourism, and identified the income level at which a turning point occurs. The results revealed a heterogeneous impact of tourism on forested areas across major international tourist markets. Specifically, tourism development encouraged afforestation in Germany, Italy, Mexico, Spain, the United Kingdom, and the United States, but led to deforestation in China. In contrast, no significant relationship was observed between the tourism‐forest area nexus in Türkiye and Thailand. Additionally, the study provided evidence supporting FTH in the relationship between economic growth and forested areas in Italy, Spain, Türkiye, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Given these findings, the paper underscores the strong heterogeneity among the individual countries and their tourism, economic development, and forest areas. Consequently, country‐specific sustainable policies are advocated over generic approaches in the fight against deforestation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An area of debate in development economics is how financial openness affects economic development. In spite of considerable research, there is no consensus. This is because there are many financial openness indices, so the results are not robust to variations in the index, as discussed in Gräbner et al. (2021). Due to the possibility of different initial conditions, different levels of development, and/or different stages of transitions, the effect of financial openness could vanish without considering these factors. Therefore, this paper categorizes countries into stable countries (High-, Medium-, and Low-income countries) and transition countries (Transitioning to High and Transitioning to Medium income) based on World Bank Categorization. The results show that the effect of financial openness is positive for medium- and low-income level countries. However, it is not at a high-income level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As globalization continues to shape the global economic landscape, understanding its intricate relationship with economic growth remains paramount in regions like sub-Saharan Africa. Hence, this study presents a comprehensive analysis of globalization's impact on economic growth in sub-Saharan Africa from 1971 to 2019. Using panel data from reputable databases on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), World Development Indicators, Penn World Table 10.0, and Our World Data, the paper explores various dimensions of globalization, including economic, social, and political factors. The feasible generalized least square (FGLS) estimation technique was used to analyze data. Findings reveal nuanced dynamics, with social and financial globalization indices showing positive effects on economic growth and statistically significant at 1% significance level. Additionally, this study uncovers the influence of demographic indicators, government consumption, and the rule of law on economic growth. The result of the study revealed demographic indicators, government consumption, and the rule of law had statistically significant impacts on the economic growth of sub-Sahara Africa. In contrast, certain aspects of economic globalization exhibit negative impacts. However, political, trade, information, and cultural globalization had no significant impact on economic growth of the region. It is important to recognize that the absence of significant effects does not necessarily imply an absence of impact, but rather reflects the multifaceted nature of globalization's influence on economic growth. Several factors, including differences in the periods analyzed, may account for the differences in these results compared to previous studies. This study not only adds to the existing literature on globalization and economic growth but also offers valuable insights for policymakers tasked with promoting sustainable development in sub-Saharan Africa. By acknowledging the complexities of globalization's impact, policy makers can formulate more effective strategies to harness its benefits while mitigating its potential drawbacks. This research contributes to a deeper understanding of globalization's role in economic development, laying the foundation for evidence-based policy interventions tailored to the unique challenges and opportunities facing sub-Saharan Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aims to shed light on the experience of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in balancing three main pillars: the environmental criteria, the reduction of CO2 emissions and the economic growth. Based on the environmental Kuznets curve (EKC) framework, it will assess the causal relationship between economic indicators such as gross domestic product (GDP) per capita, trade openness and energy use and environmental indicators such as CO2 emissions. Design/methodology/approach: The analysis relies on a period of 40 years (1981–2020) where data is extracted from the World Bank database. This study uses the unit root test for time series stationarity, the optimal lag length test, the "Johansen" test for co-integration and the vector error correction model. Findings: The paper concludes to two major findings. On a short-term basis, CO2 emissions and economic indicators are negatively correlated, whereas on a long-term basis, there is no association between CO2 emissions and economic indicators in the UAE. Research limitations/implications: The research ends with important recommendations. It illustrates the importance of rationalizing the use of primary resources and the necessity to embrace successful and efficient policies in the energy production. Practical implications: More specifically, UAE is urged to address the problem of CO2 emissions in the electricity sector and increase awareness of the use of environmentally friendly processes in the transport and industrial sectors. While setting their economic agendas, UAE are encouraged to meet environmental criteria and invest in renewable energy projects such as "Shams 1", the largest solar power plant outside of Spain and the USA. Originality/value: The current study is significant in its research on the environmental impact of economic development, trade openness and energy use policies in the UAE. It uses CO2 emissions as an environmental proxy and evaluates the environmental policies adopted in the UAE to reduce its impact. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines how the worship of ancient wisdom affects economic progress in historical China, where the learned class embraced classical wisdom for millennia but encountered the shock of Western industrial influence in the mid-nineteenth century. Using the number of sage temples to measure the strength of classical worship in 269 prefectures, I find that classical worship discouraged intellectuals from appreciating modern learning and thus inhibited industrialization between 1858 and 1927. By contrast, industrialization grew faster in regions less constrained by classicism. This finding implies the importance of cultural entrepreneurship, or the lack thereof, in shaping modern economic growth. "The humor of blaming the present, and admiring the past, is strongly rooted in human nature, and has an influence even on persons endued with the profoundest judgment and most extensive learning." —David Hume (1754, p. 464). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Africa is a rapidly changing continent. But for many, it is still an unknown place, shrouded by myths and distorted perceptions. Africa is in many ways still a marginalized continent. But things are certainly changing, and are going to change much more in the near future. This paper examines the debate surrounding the issue of ‘good governance’ and whether it is actually good for development. It offers a concise summary of literature and evidence in the three areas: the ‘good governance’ agenda as it has affected Africa, the research-based response to this, and the implications for Africa’s economic transformation. Thus, the second section discusses the origins of the concern about governance quality in Africa between the 1970s and the 1990s; the third section reviews the rebuttals and reformulations that have led the scholarly debate since the turn of the millennium; the fourth section applies the findings to the challenge of moving Africa on from economic growth to economic transformation; and the fifth section concludes that comprehensive governance improvement is not necessarily a precondition for economic progress in developing Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Population aging has become a social issue of concern to the whole world, and as the world's most populous country, how to cope with population aging will be a hot issue that all sectors of Chinese society must think about. This paper uses provincial panel data from 30 provinces in China from 2000 to 2021 to study the relationship between population aging and economic development based on the perspective of health expenditure. The DIFF-GMM model, the fixed effect model (FE), and fixed effect instrumental variable model (FE-IV) are used to test this study. The following two conclusions are drawn from the empirical study: (1) population aging has a significant inhibitory effect on economic development, while health expenditures have a significant promotional effect on economic development; and (2) increased health expenditures help to alleviate the negative impact of population aging on economic development. However, the deepening of population aging will likewise inhibit the positive effect of health expenditure on economic growth. Based on the conclusions of the study, it is recommended that the government and society should continue to increase spending in the field of health protection, encourage and guide residents to carry out self-care, and moderately increase personal health expenditure, to promote economic development with healthy bodies and realize the goal of "Healthy China". [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Does foreign aid always contribute to economic development in recipient countries? This question has never been fully addressed. Using data on US aid to 128 countries worldwide from 2000 to 2019, this paper examines the relationship between US aid and economic growth in recipient countries, and the moderating role of institutional quality and absorptive capacity in shaping this relationship. Different types of US aid are considered, including economic aid and military aid. The results show that the relationship between economic aid and economic growth is U-shaped, while military aid has a positive linear relationship with economic growth. Moreover, we find that the institutional quality of the recipient country negatively moderates the relationship between US aid and economic growth. Additionally, the absorptive capacity of the recipient country positively moderates the relationship between economic aid and economic growth, whereas the relationship between military aid and economic growth is not affected by absorptive capacity. • The US economic aid-economic growth nexus is U-shaped, while the military aid-economic growth nexus is positively linear. • The institutional quality has a negative moderating effect on the US aid-economic growth nexus. • Absorptive capacity has a positive moderating effect on the economic aid-economic growth nexus. • The military aid-economic growth nexus is not affected by the moderating effect of absorptive capacity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Marine and port economy estimation is conducive to the understanding of the development law of marine economy degree. This study proposes a neural-learning network estimation model of the marine economy degree based on a priori architectural knowledge and adopts time-combined class array columns and multivariate modeling methods to estimate the indicators reflecting the development level of the marine economy degree in the ZJP region. The study adopts the PK_NN multivariate modeling method, taking cargo transportation volume, cargo turnover, cargo carrying value of ports near the sea, foreign trade throughput, port container throughput, and port container throughput as multivariate model inputs, and compared with the other modeling methods, the model of the time combination class array columns of type GM_11, which has a better comprehensive performance. Finally, the PK_NN time-combined class array column model is used to estimate the development level of the marine economy in the ZJP region near the seaport from 2011 to 2020, and the results show that the estimated value of the marine economy in the ZJP region is close to the actual planning value of the ZJP region. The algorithm was applied to estimate the economic degree curves of the five near-seaport areas of ABCDE under different harbor head construction art modes, and the results showed that the relative value error of the estimation was controlled between 4% and 10%, and the fluctuation ranges of each month's specific growth value area estimation were comparable. This proves the effectiveness and accuracy of the a priori marine neural-learning-based network algorithm in this paper. • The algorithm was applied to estimate the economic degree curves of the five near-seaport areas of ABCDE under different harbor head construction art modes, and the results showed that the relative value error of the estimation was controlled between 4% and 10%, and the fluctuation ranges of each month's specific growth value area estimation were comparable. • This proves the effectiveness and accuracy of the a priori marine neural-learning-based network algorithm in this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To reflect the trend of electricity consumption (EC) in China's Pearl River Delta (PRD) under a balanced environment and economy, this paper proposes an EC forecasting framework from the perspective of optimal economic growth. The historical GDP statistics of the PRD are calibrated with data from the new "NPP-VIIRS-like" nighttime light dataset from 2000 to 2020, and two simulation scenarios of optimal economic growth are constructed according to the carbon emission reduction rate. Finally, based on the electricity data from 2000 to 2017, an error correction model is constructed to predict and compare the trend of EC in the PRD under different carbon emission scenarios. The results demonstrate the following. (1) The economic growth path under low-carbon constraints is more closely aligned with the actual economic development of the PRD. (2) The electricity demand required to sustain optimal economic growth in the PRD under low-carbon constraints is projected to reach saturation around 2037, approximately a decade earlier than the scenario without carbon constraints. The results of the projections are expected to guide future work on power system planning and economic development assessment in the context of carbon reduction. • The balance between environmental resources and economic development is considered. • The optimal economic growth path under the low-carbon goal is measured. • Calibration of regional statistics with the nighttime light dataset "NPP-VIIRS-like". • The error correction model is built as a short-term regulation mechanism for power prediction. • Predicted electricity demand for optimal economic growth in the PRD under different scenarios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A sustainable economy through the rational spatial expansion of coastal areas is an increasingly essential global topic. This paper aims to explore the mechanism by which supporting cities influence the spatial expansion of economic development zones (EDZs) in 264 coastal EDZs of China during 1995–2020. Meanwhile, the effects of variations in the distance between supporting cities and coastal EDZs and different city scales are considered. The results provide new explanations for realizing the sustainable development of the coastal economy by planning EDZs at a suitable location from the supporting city. The supporting cities' economic strength can significantly contribute to the spatial expansion of coastal EDZs. The influence shows a distance decay law when the distance is less than 47.692 km, between 47.692 and 58.039 km, and greater than 58.039 km, with impact coefficients of 0.479, 0.393, and 0.212, respectively. The average spatial scale of coastal EDZs varies in an "inverted U–shape" with increasing distance. The average spatial scale of the urban general radiation type (47.692 km ≤ distance <58.039 km) is the largest. Supporting cities' scale affects the economic radiation range of supporting cities. The results suggest three implications for the future development of coastal EDZs. 1) Building the EDZ while incorporating practical development needs; 2) Scientifically planning the spatial layout of EDZs; 3) The synergistic development of supporting cities, transportation hubs, and EDZs. [Display omitted] • Supporting cities can promote coastal economic development zones' expansion. • The contribution of supporting cities to zone expansion shows a distance decay law. • The average spatial scale of coastal zones shows an "inverted U-shaped" change. • Supporting cities scale affects the economic radiation range by supporting cities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Artificial intelligence (AI) has been proved to be an important engine of green economic development, yet how it will affect the internal structure of green economy is unknown. The aim of this study is to examine the impact and its mechanism of AI on green total factor productivity (GTFP) from the internal-structure perspective, by using provincial panel data of China from 2009 to 2021 and global Malmquist index. The main research results show that: (1) the development of AI contributes to China's GTFP growth. And this effect is more significant in undeveloped areas; (2) AI promotes China's GTFP growth mainly by improving resource allocation efficiency, while it exerts little impact through the paths of technological progress and scale efficiency; (3) the transmission mechanism of AI on GTFP varies greatly among China's three main regions. In the eastern region, AI improves GTFP mainly by both advancing technological progress and improving resource allocation efficiency, while in central region AI contributes to GTFP growth mainly through technological progress. Compared with the eastern and central regions, AI in the western region plays a stronger impact on GTFP through the channel of improving scale efficiency. This study helps to understand the pathways of artificial intelligence affecting the transformation of green economic growth and formulate differentiated regional policies in light of local conditions. • This paper studies the effects of AI on China's GTFP from internal-structural perspective. • GTFP is decomposed into three internal factors by the global Malmquist index. • AI has positive effect on GTFP through different impacts on internal factors. • Improving resource allocation efficiency is the most critical channel of AI on GTFP. • AI plays a more significant role in promoting GTFP in less developed areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]