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The linkage between high concentration of greenhouse gases (GHGs) and climate change is well recognized as there is severe influence of climate change on public health. Carbon dioxide is most prominent GHG which deteriorates the environment and impacts human health. On the parallel, economic growth also affects health conditions sometimes positively or vice versa. The objective of this research work is to examine the dynamic linkages among CO2 emissions, health expenditures, and economic growth in the presence of gross fixed capital formation and per capita trade by using auto regressive distributive lag (ARDL) model for Pakistan covering annual data from the year 1995–2017. Our empirical results show that there is significant long run as well as short-term causal relationship between health expenditure, CO2 emissions, and economic growth in Pakistan. Bidirectional relationship of Granger causality is found between health expenditures and CO2 emissions, and further between health expenditures and economic growth. Short-run unidirectional causality is running from carbon emissions to health-related expenditures. The bidirectional causal relationship is also investigated between carbon emissions and growth as well as gross fixed capital formation and growth. Then, policy recommendations towards controlling pollution, particularly CO2 emissions and health expenditures without compromising economic growth are suggested. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purposefulness of this research is to identify the university-industry (U-I) activities and linkages that enhance student skills and employability. Gleaned from Pakistan, data were collected and analyzed from 405 students and faculty members, from the COMSATS Institute of Information Technology and employees from pesticide companies. The Mann Whitney U-test and the Kruskal-Wallis test help identify crucial U-I activities and linkages that enhance student skills and employability. The results show that internships and particularly international ones, along with stipends are most pertinent, especially in developing countries. Also important are joint projects, along with industrial involvement in curriculum development. Despite its qualifications, the research contribution is significant, as a few studies conducted in Pakistan can truly help policymakers in the development of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To assess the current situation of collaborative university-industry (U-I) linkages in Pakistan, a questionnaire was disseminated to both public and private universities and industries, checking the propensity for such linkages. The results show multiple constraints imposed on collaborative U-I linkages from both sides. Factor analysis allows comparing whether both universities and industries identify the same constraints or not. Apparently, engineering departments exhibit more collaborative U-I linkages than other disciplines, while humanities departments are awarded the minimum of such linkages. The paucity of proper arrangements, procedures, mechanisms, and structures for collaboration seems to be one of the most important impediments to collaborative U-I linkages. Furthermore, on the one hand, university people see the lack both of time, owed to a heavy workload, and of laboratory facilities for research and development work, as predominant constraints to U-I interactions. On the other hand, industry people cite as prominent barriers the low commercialization potential of university research and the lack of interest among academics to collaborate with the industry. Despite its qualifications, the study concludes with practical policymaking recommendations and future research suggestions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sustainable procurement is an integral part of public sector sustainability, but developing countries are far behind in this area. This study explores the internal and external challenges in Pakistan's public health sector that hamper sustainable procurement. With the help of experts, we found eleven key challenges that hamper sustainability in public health sector procurement. We designed an instrument and fielded it to eighty-five procurement officials in government hospitals, who verified the presence of the challenges in health sector. The interpretative structural modelling (ISM) we used to develop a hierarchy among the identified challenges reflects that government regulations and senior management's commitment—all strategic challenges—are the most critical challenges, whereas perceived ineffectiveness, third-party involvement, and the unavailability of green products—all operational challenges—are less critical. The study presents comprehensive recommendations to policymakers and future researchers related to achieving sustainable development goals in the health sector. • This study explores the challenges to sustainable public procurement (SPP) in health sector. • Public health sector of Pakistan is analyzed through expert opinion and survey instrument. • Interpretative Structural Modelling has been used to rank the identified challenges. • Government rules and regulations and senior management commitment are critical to SPP. • Perceived ineffectiveness, green practices and unavailability of green products are less critical. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sustainable Public Procurement is an integral part of sustainable development because of ever increasing government expenditures. Most of the developing countries lack the required infrastructure which may support public sector sustainability. The aim of this study is to assess the critical factors which resist the implementation of sustainable procurement in public sector of Pakistan. We used Interpretive Structural Model to investigate and rank the interrelationships among different factors of sustainable procurement. With the help of literature and Likert scale instrument, we found twelve key barriers that resist sustainable procurement implementation. We also examined tender documents of 75 different public sector universities of Pakistan but found absence of sustainability element in the documents. External factors namely government legislation and stakeholders' pressure are found most critical barriers as compared to inter organizational factors. The study is also important to highlight the hurdles in the way of sustainable development. First, the government must introduce rules and regulations to implement the sustainable procurement. Stakeholders and donors must put pressure on organizations for adopting sustainable procurement. Sustainability education should be made mandatory part of curriculum and employees should be given regular training on sustainability. Further, public procurement policies at government and institutional levels are required to be revisited towards a circular economy. • This paper addresses the sustainable development through the sustainable public procurement. • Public sector universities of Pakistan have been studied as sample. • 12 Key barriers to sustainable public procurement have been identified. • Interpretive Structural Modelling and MicMac analysis used to develop relationships and hierarchy of barriers. • The government legislation and third party pressure are most important barriers in Pakistan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Cointegration levels among life expectancy and its determinants have explored. • The structural breaks stemming in the data has been investigated with ARDL. • Economic growth is positively associated with life expectancy. • Energy consumption lowers life expectancy via environmental degradation. This paper tends to investigate the linkage between economic growth and life expectancy by considering the potential role of financial development and energy consumption using data of Pakistan. Traditional as well as advanced unit root tests for observing the stationary properties of the variables were applied. For exploring the cointegration levels among life expectancy and its determinants, ARDL bounds testing technique in the existence of structural breaks which were stemming in the data has been investigated. The empirical results provide the confirmation for the presence of cointegration between the variables. Further, economic growth is positively associated with life expectancy. Financial development is revealing a negative effect on life expectancy in the scenario of Pakistan. Energy consumption lowers life expectancy via environmental degradation. Furthermore, this empirical analysis provides new insights to policymakers for using financial development and energy consumption as economic tools to improve life expectancy by directing energy and finance policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]