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This study examines the important manifestations of economic globalization, such as increased international trade, inward foreign direct investment (FDI), and air passenger transport (PAX) on economic growth and environmental quality in Southeast Asian countries. The results of data analysis for the period 1990–2019 using the panel autoregressive distributed lag model (ARDL) have confirmed the long run impact of these factors on economic growth and environmental quality (the reduction of CO2 emissions into the environment per unit of production) in Southeast Asia. Furthermore, international trade and PAX positively affect economic growth in both groups of lower-middle-income countries and upper-middle and high-income countries. Inward FDI, however, only has a positive effect on economic growth for the group of lower-middle-income in the short run. In the long run, it has a negative impact. On the other hand, when the manifestations of economic globalization increase, they lead to an increase in CO2 emissions, but there is a decrease in this ratio per unit of production in the long run and in most countries in the short run. These findings are the basis for making economic growth and environmental quality improvements in different regions and countries of Southeast Asia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This empirical study examines the role of information and communication technology (ICT) in the relationship between FDI and environmental quality for six leading African economies from 1970 to 2020. The second-generation tests are used to determine the stationarity level of the variables. Furthermore, the Westerlund panel cointegration test confirms cointegration among the variables. For long-run association, CS-ARDL, which resolved the consequences of heterogeneity and cross-sectional dependency is used. The results of the study reveal that ICT, FDI, economic growth, and financial development degrade environmental quality. The interacting effect of ICT and FDI (ICT*FDI) leads to escalation of CO2 emissions thereby deteriorating the quality of the environment. The study recommends that African countries should promote FDI to support the inflow of green technologies to enhance environmental quality. The implementation of environmentally sustainable technology would help improve the quality of the environment, increase sustainability in the long term and conserve resources for future generation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study applies the method of the fully modified ordinary least squares (FMOLS) method and the vector error correction model (VECM) to explore whether institutional quality (IQ) and foreign direct investment (FDI) promoted economic growth (EG) and environmental quality (EQ) in oil-producing and non-oil-producing African countries from 1999 to 2017. The FMOLS findings demonstrate that IQ significantly promoted EG and improved EQ in the non-oil-producing countries, however it only improved EQ and showed no significant impact on EG in oil-producing countries. FDI significantly promoted EG to a higher extent in oil-producing countries than in non-oil-producing countries, but it presented no significant impact on EQ in both groups. The VECM results reveal that (i) two-way causation among IQ and EG, IQ and EQ, FDI and EG, and FDI and EQ was occurred in both groups, in the long-run. (ii) two-way causation among FDI and EQ and one-way causation from FDI to EG was observed in non-oil-producing countries in the short-run. Moreover, two-way causation among IQ and EG, and one-way causation from IQ to EQ were observed in non-oil-producing countries. To realize the sustainable development of economy and environment, a series of policy suggestions have been discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environmental degradation has become a severe concern across South Asia. Hence, it is imperative to model the macroeconomic determinants of environmental quality across this region. The traditional fossil fuel dependency of the major South Asian nations is alleged to have persistently deteriorated the quality of the environment across this region. Under such circumstances, it can be hypothesized that intra-regional trade within South Asia can facilitate renewable electricity trade to enhance environmental well-being. Accordingly, this study aims to evaluate the impacts of intra-regional trade integration, renewable energy transition, economic growth, and foreign direct investment inflows on the ecological footprints of selected South Asian economies. The econometric methods used in this study are suited for handling cross-sectionally dependent heterogeneous panel datasets. The overall results reveal that promoting intra-regional trade, stimulating renewable energy transition, expediting economic growth, and impeding inflows of dirty foreign direct investments are imperative for reducing the ecological footprint figures of the South Asian nations of concern. Besides, the results also verify the environmental Kuznets curve hypothesis for the South Asian panel as well as for Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, and Bhutan but not for India and Pakistan. Moreover, the pollution haven hypothesis is also verified for both the panel and the individual South Asian countries. In line with these findings, several environmental welfare improvement-related policies are recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]