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The new sustainable development goals (SDGs) call for actions to close the gap between the protection of the environment and the socio-economic development. To shed light on the link among economy, society, and ecology, this study assesses the ability of renewable energy to moderate the effects of CO 2 emissions on human development and economic growth for 31 transitional economies. Our findings substantiate that: (i) CO 2 emissions have unconditional negative effects on human development and economic growth; (ii) the net impacts on human development and economic growth are positive from the interplay between renewable energy and CO 2 emissions, i.e. renewable energy reduces the influences of per capita CO 2 emissions on human development and economic growth; (iii) renewable energy interacts with CO 2 intensity and CO 2 emissions from liquid fuel consumption to negatively influence economic growth and human development. To dampen these net negative effects, corresponding renewable energy thresholds were computed and discussed. Theoretical and empirical contributions, implications to policymakers, and practitioners are also discussed. • Effect of renewable energy (RE) on environment, economic growth, and human development (HD) is examined. • CO 2 emissions (CO) have unconditional negative effects on economic growth and HD. • RE complements CO 2 emissions to enhance economic growth and inclusive human development. • RE interacts with CO from liquid fuel consumption and CO 2 intensity to negatively affect economic growth. • RE interacts with CO from liquid fuel consumption and CO 2 intensity to negatively affect HD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Closing the gap between carbon emissions and economic development is one of the solutions for reaching the sustainable development goals (SDGs). The role of renewable energy in rebalancing environmental and economic conditions is becoming a significant subject of some debates in the current discussion circles. Hence, the main purpose of this article is to use both growth and environmental functions to demonstrate the effectiveness of renewable energy in promoting economic growth and mitigating carbon emissions in the case of 15 major renewable energy-consuming countries using both fully modified ordinary least square (FMOLS) and vector error correction model (VECM) estimation techniques. The results of the FMOLS method show the efficiency of renewable energy in increasing economic growth and reducing carbon emissions. We also find, from the VECM Granger causality test, that there is (i) a bidirectional causality between economic growth and renewable energy inshort- and long-run for both estimated functions, validating the feedback hypothesis; (ii) no causal relationship between CO 2 emissions and renewable energy in the long-run, but a bidirectional causality between the two variables is found in the short-run; (iii) a bidirectional relationship between economic growth and CO 2 emissions is found in both short and long-run. Policy and practical implications and future research directions are also discussed. • Using the fully modified ordinary least square (FMOLS) and the vector error correction model (VECM) techniques. • A bidirectional causality between economic growth and renewable energy inshort and long-run for both models, validating the feedback hypothesis. • A bidirectional relationship between economic growth and CO 2 emissions in both short and long run. • No causal relationship between CO 2 emissions and renewable energy in the long run, but a bidirectional causality between the two variables is found in the short run. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article extends previous sustainability literature by demonstrating the effectiveness of good governance in rebalancing the economic, environmental, and social components of sustainable development. Good economic, political, and institutional governance are considered as conditional variables, which allow rebalancing these three components in the case of 20 selected MENA economies for the period 1996–2014. Using simultaneous-equation modeling approach, we find that (i) political and institutional governance positively contribute to the three components of sustainable development; (ii) there exists a two-way linkages between human development and economic growth, meaning that they are interrelated and may very well serve as complements to each other; (iii) increased economic growth conducts to further emissions, which, in turn, decreases economic growth; (iv) enhancing human development conducts to a reduction in carbon dioxide emissions, which, in turn, negatively affects human development; (v) improving both political and institutional governance permits MENA governments to moderate both the negative impacts of carbon emissions on economic growth and human development and the positive impact of economic growth on increasing emissions, and as a result sustainable development. • The effectiveness of good governance for sustainable development (SD) is examined. • Political and institutional governance positively contribute to the three pillars of SD. • Enhancing human development (HD) conducts to a reduction in carbon emissions (CO). • Good governance moderates the negative impact of CO on economic growth and HD. • Good governance moderates the positive impact of economic growth on CO. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]