Spatial-temporal nexus of economic complexity interaction with human capital and political stability on environmental quality and their possible causes of change for BRI countries.

Environmental degradation (ED) and the factors that influence it are being addressed on several levels, including individual, domestic, and geographical. Our research collaborates in two ways. First, it investigates the effect of economic complexity (EC) interaction with human capital (HC) and political stability on the environmental quality of 55 Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) countries. Second, spatial impacts are considered when calculating variables influencing environmental quality at the geographical level. The relevance of geographical effects is determined using different diagnostic procedures, and direct and spillover effects are evaluated using the Spatial Durbin Model to examine the phenomena. Political stability reduces ED and improves ecological sustainability by regulating EC and ED. Surprisingly, the spatial interaction term of HC and EC indicates that EC improves environmental quality through the HC channel in the native country and its neighbors. From these findings, policymakers might gain new insights and enhance environmental quality in BRI countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]