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Purpose: The literature argues that human activities are responsible for environmental pollution and world climate change. Africa is the second-largest continent by population and its socio-economic conditions are adversely affected by climate change due to environmental pollution. Therefore, this study investigates the relationship between human activities, the environment and the economic growth of 38 African countries from 2000 to 2018. Design/methodology/approach: This study employs a simultaneous equations model called Seemingly unrelated regression. Findings: Human capital development (HDI) and environmental health (EH) have a positive and non-linear relationship, while HDI and ecosystem vitality (EV) are negative and non-linear. The relationship between gross domestic product per capita (GDPPC) and EH is negative and non-linear. However, the GDPPC-EV link is insignificant. Trade openness (TO) and EV have a negative and non-linear relationship, but trade significantly improves EH. Urbanisation-EV relationship is positive and non-linear. However, urbanisation significantly reduces EH. Technology has a positive and non-linear relationship with EH and EV. The study also found that EH and EV positively affects the economy. Originality/value: This is the first study to analyse the most concerned countries in-depth. Thus, it provides appropriate and sound policies that consider the unique characteristics of the nations. Moreover, it uses a robust estimation technique that overcomes the endogeneity problem and offers insight into the relationship between the variables, including the feedback effect of the environment on growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While there have been separate studies on FDI–growth and FDI–welfare links, few or no studies exist that simultaneously examine FDI–growth–welfare link at aggregate or sectoral level. This study adopted a recent causality method and a simultaneous equation model to analyse the effect of FDI on sectoral growth and welfare using a cross-sectional panel of 23 countries, spanning 1990‒2019. The study accounted for sectoral spillover effects, heterogeneity, simultaneity and cross-sectional dependence in our model. Findings suggest that FDI promotes output in the manufacturing and services sectors more than in the agriculture sector, while it fosters human development (HD). Also, the results show that while HD promotes output in the agricultural sector, it deters output in the manufacturing and service sectors. Further findings show that only agricultural output improves HD among the countries. This study therefore recommends that for African countries to improve sectoral output growth and welfare using FDI as a catalyst, a policy framework toward attracting more FDI into the three key sectors (especially in the manufacturing and services) is desirable for increased output and human development in Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Motivated by the gained momentum of the sustainable development goals (SDGs) under the umbrella of the United Nations organization, in the light of the SDG‐7, which stipulates the access to affordable, sustainable, and modern energy, this paper explores the dynamic relationship between renewable energy and the pillars of sustainable development. Its insights are driven using a simultaneous equation model based on a panel of 25 African economies covering the period 1990–2014. The results show that renewable energy is important for sustainable development and that higher levels of renewable energy can increase sustainability. The findings also confirm the positive influence of renewable energy on the economic, environmental, social, and institutional dimensions. These positive effects stem from investment in clean energy in the whole of Africa, combined with structural changes promoting the use of clean energy and the achievement of the millennium development goals. The findings should be useful for policymakers in Africa. Aggressive renewable energy policies will be crucial for achieving energy‐policy goals and the "multiple benefits" of renewable energy, such as reducing climate change and air pollution, improving energy security, and increasing access to energy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the relationship between violent conflict, food price, and climate variability at the subnational level. Using disaggregated data on 113 African markets from January 1997 to April 2010, interrelationships between the three variables are analyzed in simultaneous equation models. We find that: (i) a positive feedback exists between food price and violence – higher food prices increase conflict rates within markets and conflict increases food prices; (ii) anomalously dry conditions are associated with increased frequencies of conflict; and (iii) decreased rainfall exerts an indirect effect on conflict through its impact on food prices. These findings suggest that the negative effects of climate variability on conflict can be mitigated by interventions and effective price management in local markets. Creating environments in which food prices are stable and reliable, and markets are accessible and safe, can lower the impacts of both climate change and conflict feedbacks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]