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This study explores the effects of renewable and nonrenewable energy demand on export product diversification, economic growth, natural resources, human capital, and trade in GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) countries using data of six countries from 1990 to 2019. The empirical analysis integrates the panel unit root tests (IPS and CIPS), panel quantile regression, and fully modified OLS models. The empirical results confirm that there exists a significant negative relationship between renewable energy and export diversification; signifying that diversification of products will reduce renewable energy. Similarly, when compared to the square of export product diversification, it shows a positive and significant correlation. The empirical findings highlighted the presence of Kuznets's hypothesis between export product diversification, renewable, and non-renewable energy consumption. Furthermore, the findings suggest that natural resources and economic growth may increase overall energy consumption in GCC countries. It implies an important policy suggestion that encouraging export diversification will reduce GCC countries' reliance on oil to meet energy demand. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the role of the import diversification in the renewable energy consumption for a global panel of both developing and developed economies. The study applies panel co-integration and panel quantile regression analysis on the panel data of 138 countries during 1995–2018. For empirical analysis, the authors used Pedroni) cointegration test and panel-quantile regressions. The investigation proves that the import diversification significantly reduces the renewable energy consumption and there is a major need for designing and implementing some revised and synchronized policies of trade with the energy mix and sustainable development goals. The empirical findings claim that the foreign direct investments, natural resources and GDP increase significantly boost the renewable energy demand for both groups of developing and developed countries. Therefore, this study shows that generally the current trade policies might be ineffective and import diversification policies should be reformed to match with the energy regulations, manufacturing, and sustainable development goals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Different from previous studies which examine the relationship between either separate parameters or drivers of economic development and ecological sustainability, this study employs the productive capacity index to provide a holistic understanding into the ecological impacts of improving the productive sources of a nation. It also considers the increasingly importance role of green financial policy in lessening the ecological degradation under an uncertain economic and political environment. We adopt advanced panel quantile regression to three samples of 34 high-, 17 upper middle-, and 17 lower middle-income countries from 2000 to 2018. The empirical results show the existence of N-shaped, inverted N-shaped, and U-shaped relationship between productive capacity and ecological footprint in high-, upper middle-, and lower middle-income country groups, respectively. Meanwhile, green financial policy is found to generate beneficial effect on the quality of the ecology in all panels. Uncertainty reduces ecological degradation in high- and upper middle-income countries but intensifies ecological ruin in lower middle-income countries. This complicated relationship between variables of interest warns policymakers to adopt suitable economic and political policies that can deal with both severe ecological degradation and raising uncertainty. Finding the presence of the Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) at different levels of development and the presence of the turnaround points within the sample ranges also validates the EKC hypothesis to be a policy benchmarking tool for developing effective environmental policies at the global level. This study outcomes have been utilized to develop Sustainable Development Goals oriented policy framework. • We employ productive capacity index for ecological impact assessment. • We adopt advanced panel quantile regression. • Our study is on high-, upper middle-, 17 lower middle-income countries. • Study is done from 2000 to 2018. • Results show different productive capacity-ecological footprint associations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The nexus between economic growth and energy consumption has been exhaustively explored, yet the empirical evidence and the theoretical points of view remain at odds. This study contextualises and capitalises on this discrepancy and examines the connection between non-renewable and renewable energy consumption and economic growth, considering the moderating impact of economic complexity, trade openness, FDI and institutional quality. We use a panel quantile regression model and data from 32 European countries in the period 1995–2014. Our key results show that economic complexity, renewable energy consumption, trade openness, FDI and institutional quality enhance economic growth. The results for non-renewable energy consumption showed both a positive and a negative impact in different quantiles, indicating that the consumption of renewable energy is in fact more effective for economic growth than the use of non-renewables. Our findings have far-reaching implications for stakeholders and policymakers working on sustainable economic growth and energy policy with a view to meeting the commitments made under the Paris Agreement (COP21). • Economic complexity contributes to economic growth. • Trade openness, foreign direct investment and institutional quality enhance economic growth. • Renewable energy is more suitable for economic growth than non-renewable. • To honour Paris Agreement (COP21), renewable energy consumption should be encouraged. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The impact of export product diversification on energy efficiency is examined. • The empirical evidences confirm that export product diversification helps to mitigate the energy intensity in OECD countries. • Extensive and intensive margins of exports contribute to decrease energy and carbon intensity. • Urbanization is highlighted as contributor for reducing energy efficiency. • Trade openness and financial development tends to have negative impacts on energy intensity. The present study explores the important contributors of energy efficiency in OECD countries, by taking the energy intensity and carbon intensity as a proxy of energy efficiency. Notably, we study the role of three indicators of export diversification (export product diversification, extensive margin and intensive margin) for energy intensity and carbon intensity in 29 OECD countries, which further allow us to draw new and innovative conclusions. In doing so, we use the data from 1990 to 2015 and employ alternative panel data estimations; sequential estimation, panel quantile regressions, system GMM and difference GMM, for an in-depth and detailed empirical analysis. In our empirical analysis, we robust check the impacts of export diversification on carbon intensity and investigate the role of institutional factors for energy intensity. The empirical outcomes provide robust evidence that all three indicators of export diversification help to reduce energy intensity and might be used as a policy factor in improving energy efficiency and sustainable environment. The empirical evidence further reports practical implications for policymakers and environmental scientists to achieve the greener growth, energy efficiency and sustainable development goals (SDG's) of OECD countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study contributes to the environment-growth nexus literature by examining corruption's effect on environmental quality in 17 Middle East and North Africa (MENA) countries between 1984 and 2018. We use four different indicators of environmental degradation (ecological footprint, carbon dioxide emissions, greenhouse gas emissions, and carbon emission intensity) to gain a comprehensive view of the relationship. This study's methodological value added is the application of the method of moments quantile regression, which enables us to account for different relationships between the independent variables and environmental quality at different levels of environmental degradation. The results indicate that corruption worsens environmental quality based on three of the four indicators of environmental degradation, while the impact appears to become less severe at higher levels of environmental deterioration. The results also indicate that traditional mean-based panel data estimation methods provide an incomplete picture of the factors behind environmental problems: The explanatory variables' impacts tend to vary at different levels of environmental quality, and the impact's sign can even change when moving from the lowest to the highest environmental degradation quantiles. Overall, the results highlight the importance of curbing corruption to enable enforcement of more stringent environmental regulations. [Display omitted] • The effect of corruption on environmental degradation is investigated. • We used the Method of Moment Quantile Estimations. • Corruption worsens environmental quality in the MENA region. • Corruption increases ecological footprint, GHG emission and carbon emission intensity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Promoting the development of renewable energy sources is crucial for sustainability. This paper explores the impact of energy security risks and economic complexity on expanding renewable energy sources, accounting for trade openness and economic growth for the top 23 energy consumers. The period of observations spans from 1997 to 2017. The study was conducted using panel quantile regression methods with fixed effects. The empirical outcomes indicate that economic complexity has a significant negative effect on renewable energy at low quantiles but a positive effect at medium to high quantiles. Furthermore, economic complexity has a greater impact on middle-income countries than on high-income countries. Energy security risks positively and significantly impact renewable energy development. However, for middle-income countries, the impact of energy security risks on renewable energy is unstable. The impact is at its peak between the 60th and 70th quantiles and then declines to its lowest level between the 80th and 90th quantiles. The robustness tests confirm the earlier findings. Based on empirical outcomes, policy prescriptions are suggested to address renewable energy deployment against the backdrop of sustainable development concerns. The policy implications suggest that the government should actively promote trade openness and increase economic complexity. Greater energy security risk index shocks increase the use of renewable energy. • Studies roles of economic complexity and energy security on renewable energy. • On 23 top energy users for 1990–2017. • Advanced quantile regression technique adopted. • Scale effect and composition effect of economic complexity on divergence of impact. • Empirical outcomes have directions on policy for SDG. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]