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Wheat powdery mildew possesses a significant threat to wheat crops not only on a global scale but also in the northern region of Pakistan. Recognizing the need for effective measures, the exploration and utilization of exotic germplasm take on critical importance. To address this, a series of trials were made to investigate the response of 30 European (EU) lines, in addition to the local checks (Siran, Atta-Habib (AH) and Ghanimat-e-IBGE) against wheat powdery mildew at the Himalayan region of Pakistan. The study involved field testing from 2018 to 2022 across multiple locations, resulting in 38 different environments (location × year). In addition to field evaluations, molecular genotyping was also performed. The disease was absent on the tested lines during 2018, 2019, and 2020 whereas it ranged from 0 to 100% at Chitral location during 2021, where 100% was observed only for one EU wheat line "Matrix." The disease prevailed only at Gilgit location (0-60% for EU wheat line "F236") and at Nagar location (0-10% for EU wheat lines Substance and Nelson) during the disease season of 2022. Most of the EU wheat lines showed very low ACI values, due to an overall low disease pressure. Matrix showed the maximum ACI (1.54) followed by Ritter (1.25) and Bli_autrichion (0.87), whereas the minimum (0.1) was for Substance, JB_Asano, and KWS_Loft followed by Canon (0.19), all exhibiting partial resistance. The molecular marker-based screening revealed that Pm38 was the most prevalent and detected in 100% of wheat lines followed by Pm39 (60%) and Pm8 (30%). Six wheat lines (20%) possessed all three Pm genes (Pm8, Pm38, and Pm39) concurrently. The variability observed in this study can be utilized in future breeding efforts aimed at developing resistant wheat varieties., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Institute of Plant Genetics Polish Academy of Sciences.)

Due to urbanization's substantial impact on economic development and environmental quality, particularly in emerging nations, the subject has attracted major attention in recent years. Urbanization increases infrastructure, transportation, and high energy consumption demand, leading to increased environmental degradation. Therefore, this study examines how urbanization has affected environmental degradation in Pakistan using yearly data from 1970 to 2020. A non-linear autoregressive distributed lag (NARDL) model is applied to study the asymmetric impact of urbanization on ecological footprint per capita. The results show that urbanization is asymmetrically associated with environmental degradation. Positive changes in urbanization led to increased environmental degradation, while negative changes in urbanization led to a decline in environmental degradation in Pakistan. Foreign direct investment and industrial production are positive and significant factors of environmental degradation, while trade openness and money supply are negatively linked with environmental degradation in Pakistan. Economic growth shows a positive link, while economic growth square shows a negative link with environmental degradation. These findings also confirm the environmental Kuznets curve (EKC) hypothesis in Pakistan. It is suggested that the urbanization threshold should be analyzed to determine where environmental degradation tends to decline, and less polluting technology and renewable energy resources should be encouraged to reduce environmental degradation in Pakistan., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Concerns regarding climate change pollution have remained critical in achieving sustainable development goals. However, countries are still having difficulty reducing environmental deterioration, requiring substantial attention. Hence, this study evaluates the effect of information and communication technology (ICT), institutional quality, economic growth, and energy consumption on ecological footprint under the environment Kuznets curve (EKC) framework in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries from 1990 to 2018. Moreover, this study also checks the impact of an interaction term (ICT and institutional quality) on ecological footprint. We utilized cross-section dependence, cross-section unit root, and Westerlund's cointegration tests for the econometric investigation to check cross-section dependence, stationarity, and cointegration among parameters. For long and short run estimation, we used pooled mean group (PMG) estimator. PMG outcomes demonstrate that the ICT and institutional quality clean the environment by mitigating the ecological footprint. Further, the joint impact of ICT and institutional quality also moderate environmental degradation. Moreover, economic growth and energy consumption increase the ecological footprint. In addition, empirical outcomes also support the presence of the EKC hypothesis in ASEAN countries. The empirical outcomes suggest that environmental sustainability's sustainable development goal can be achieved through ICT innovation and diffusion and by improving the intuitional quality framework., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

The current research aims to investigate the impact of financial development on the ecological footprint in Pakistan from 1980 to 2018 by controlling economic growth, the square of economic growth, and energy consumption. The structural break unit root test results show that all variables are stationary at first difference. The bound F-test for cointegration affirmed the indications of a long run connection between the parameters in the discussion. Moreover, we use the non-linear autoregressive distributed lag model to check the non-linear links in establishing the associations between financial development and ecological footprint. The outcomes suggest an asymmetric connection between financial development and ecological footprint because positive and negative shocks in financial development have different effects on ecological footprint. The findings reveal that the impact of the positive shock on financial development is negative but insignificant. Besides, the impact of the negative shock on financial development is positive and statistically significant. It implies that a 1% increase in the negative shock of financial development causes a 0.0877% rise in ecological footprint. The coefficient of economic growth is significant at a 1% level of significance. In the long run, a 0.4471% increase in ecological footprint is associated with a 1% increase in economic growth. However, the coefficient of the square of economic growth is negative but insignificant. Thus, the environmental Kuznets curve hypothesis is not valid in Pakistan. Likewise, energy consumption positively affects the ecological footprint. The results of short run estimates correspond to the long run estimates. As a policy suggestion, the current study suggests expanding green financial development in Pakistan by emphasizing more on Sustainable Development Goals., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

This study fills a gap in the relevant literature by exploring the linear and nonlinear effect of energy productivity on environmental degradation based on economic growth, trade openness, and energy consumption variables for the case of Cyprus, over the period from 1990Q1 to 2018Q4. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study attempt to conduct this nexus for Cyprus, so the empirical findings are likely to shed light on and open a new debate on the subject of environmental sustainability. The empirical findings of the nonlinear autoregressive distributed lag approach revealed that the outcomes of energy productivity instigated a positive (negative) impact on the atmosphere, where a 1% upsurge in positive shock of energy productivity decreased CO 2 emissions (CO 2 E) by 0.265%, and a 1% rise in negative shock caused a 0.837% increase in pollution in the long run. GDP is positively related to pollution in both shocks. Trade results disclosed that trade openness stimulated a positive (negative) influence on the atmosphere. A 1% increase in positive shock of trade openness decreased CO 2 E by 0.268%, and a 1% growth in negative shock instigated a 0.423% rise in pollution in Cyprus. These results are consistent and supported by both linear and nonlinear techniques. As a part of its long-term climate policy goals, policymakers in Cyprus should invest in energy productivity and R&D that embraces cleaner technology innovations and prioritize cross-cutting environmental technology policies to combat climate challenges., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Globally, the issues about sustainable development are on the increase. Moreover, these issues are rising every day in Pakistan, as remittances are increasing, technology innovation is ambiguous, natural resources are degraded, and economic expansion might pose serious challenges to the environment. Thus, this research looks at how remittances, natural resources, technological innovation, and economic growth affect carbon dioxide (CO 2) emissions in Pakistan by controlling energy consumption and urbanization from 1990 to 2019. The Bayer and Hanck test of combined cointegration discloses a cointegration between remittances, natural resources, technological innovations, economic growth, and CO 2 emissions. Moreover, the autoregressive distributive lag model (ARDL) proposes a significant positive association between remittances and CO 2 emissions in the long run, indicating that the increase in remittances distresses the environmental performance of Pakistan. Our study confirms that natural resources decrease CO 2 emissions while technological advancement, economic progress, energy use, and urbanization increase CO 2 emissions. In addition, the results of robustness checks by employing fully modified ordinary least squares and dynamic ordinary least squares are parallel to the conclusions of ARDL estimations. Furthermore, the frequency causality test results show that remittances, natural resources, technological innovation, economic growth, energy use, and urbanization cause CO 2 emissions at different frequencies. Therefore, to achieve the sustainable development goals, appropriate policy repercussions can be developed toward advanced and environmentally sustainable sources of energy., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

The current paper examines the effect of public-private partnerships investment in energy (PPIE) on CO 2 emissions while taking economic growth (GDP), foreign direct investment (FDI), and trade openness (TOP) into consideration for Bangladesh from 1997 to 2019. This paper utilizes Bayer and Hanck cointegration approach, fully modified ordinary least squares, dynamic ordinary least squares, canonical regression, and frequency domain causality technique. The outcome of this paper reveals that (i) the cointegrating association among PPIE, GDP, FDI, TOP, and CO 2 emissions is verified; (ii) PPIE, GDP, and TOP affect environmental sustainability negatively; (iii) in the long term, PPIE, FDI, and TOP Granger-cause CO 2 emissions in Bangladesh. This research suggests technical development for a greener production procedure and public-private partnership funding in green energy. Therefore, as a policy endorsement, this study proposes to invest in the latest technological advancements to manufacture environmentally sustainable goods via public-private partnerships., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Concerns about income inequality and environmental pollution have stayed important aspects in reaching sustainable development objectives. However, economies continue to struggle with income inequality reduction and environmental degradation mitigation, all of which need significant consideration. Hence, the purpose of this research is to look into the relationship between income inequality, institutional quality, and carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) emissions in 42 developing countries from 1984 to 2016. Furthermore, the current study also investigates the role of institutional quality in moderating the relationship between income inequality and CO 2 emissions. For empirical analysis, we used cross section dependence, cross section unit root, and Westerlund's cointegration test to confirm the cross section dependence, stationarity, and cointegration among variables. Moreover, for long-run estimates, we employed Driscoll Kraay regression. According to the Driscoll Kraay regression outcomes, rising income inequality (without interaction term) leads to rising CO 2 emissions. However, (with interaction term) it shows a significant negative effect on CO 2 emissions. The findings of the interaction term (LnISQXLnINE) disclose a significant negative effect on CO 2 . Moreover, an increase in institutional quality, economic development, energy consumption, industrialization, and trade openness significantly increase CO 2 emissions in all the models. In addition, the square term of income inequality and economic growth depicts an inverted U-shaped association with CO 2 emissions. The outcomes are also verified by the robustness check results acquired employing the fully modified ordinary least squares (FMOLS) and pooled mean group (PMG). Furthermore, Dumitrescu and Hurlin's panel causal test reveals a bidirectional causality running from income equality, energy consumption, industrialization, economic growth, trade, and interaction term toward CO 2 emissions. In view of the sustainable development goals (SDGs), the findings proposed significant policy repercussions for the study's sample economies., (© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Over the last few years, global warming and rapid climate change have become major risk factors that pose a serious threat to global security. A key factor behind these risk factors is greenhouse gases, which emit mainly carbon dioxide (CO 2 ). The existing literature seeks to determine the economic and non-economic aspects of CO 2 emissions to prevent environmental degradation. However, the effects of economic policy uncertainty and foreign direct investment on CO 2 emissions are undeniable. This study examines the impact of economic policy uncertainty and foreign direct investment on CO 2 emissions in the panel of 24 developed and developing nations from 2001 to 2019. After verifying cross-sectional dependency and co-integration among parameters, the dynamic seemingly unrelated regression and panel vector error correction model (VECM) Granger causality methods are used for long-run estimates and verify the causal link among variables. Our findings show that economic policy uncertainty, economic growth, trade, and energy consumption adversely impact the environment, while foreign direct investment enhances sample countries' environmental quality. Furthermore, a bidirectional relationship exists between CO 2 , economic policy uncertainty, economic growth, trade, and energy consumption. In addition, this study observed similar results in a robustness analysis using the dynamic common correlated effects and fixed effect panel quantile regression frameworks. Based on the inclusive outcomes, this study forms significant suggestions for policy implications. Specifically, policymakers should design environmental-friendly trade policies, explore renewable energy options, and implement green investment and financing strategies to improve the environment., (© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

This study examines the impact of remittance inflows, technological innovations, and financial development on environmental quality in Brazil, India, China, and South Africa (BICS) economies over 1990-2016. This study employed a comprehensive environment proxy, i.e., ecological footprint for environmental quality, and also considers more advanced and robust econometric (second-generation) techniques. The outcomes of the current study reveal that remittance inflows and financial development significantly deteriorate the environmental quality, while technological innovations are an essential factor for the reduction of ecological footprint level. Furthermore, the results of the interaction terms show a significantly adverse effect on the ecological footprint. Additionally, the findings of country-wise analysis reveal that remittance inflows and financial development worsen the environmental quality in each sample country, while the technological innovations promote the environmental sustainability that is steady with panel results. Besides, the environmental Kuznets curve (EKC) hypothesis was verified across the BICS economies. Consistent with the key findings, an inverted U-shaped relationship exists between economic growth and ecological footprint in the case of Brazil and South Africa. In contrast, the U-shaped EKC hypothesis exists in the case of China and India. For robust policy implication, the findings of this study highlighted the dire need for "green policy tools" that should be linked with the BICS economy policies and driver for sustained growth.