Economics of energy and environmental efficiency: evidence from OECD countries

The role of environmental efficiency and economic development in fertility: implications for public health and sustainability among OECD nations

Introduction

As global economies rapidly develop, the interplay between environmental efficiency, economic development, and public health outcomes has gained significant attention. Air pollution and resource-intensive economic activities threaten both environmental sustainability and human health, including reproductive health and overall well-being.

Methods

This study focuses on OECD member countries, using data from 1999 to 2021. An undesirable outputs-oriented DEA approach is employed to assess environmental efficiency across these countries. Baseline regression analysis is conducted to examine the relationship between environmental efficiency and fertility, while heterogeneity analysis explores the impact of industrial and energy consumption structures. Additionally, the moderating effect of economic development levels is investigated.

Results

The baseline regression results indicate an inverted U-shaped relationship between environmental efficiency and fertility, where fertility initially declines as environmental efficiency increases, then rises after reaching a certain threshold. Heterogeneity analysis reveals that industrial and energy consumption structures significantly influence this relationship across different regions. Furthermore, economic development is found to be a reverse moderator: in countries with higher economic development levels, the relationship between environmental efficiency and fertility follows a significant U-shaped curve.

Discussion

These findings highlight the necessity of integrating environmental policies with public health strategies. Improvements in environmental efficiency may reduce pollution-related health risks, indirectly supporting fertility recovery in advanced economies. By addressing the interaction between environmental efficiency, economic development, and fertility, this study provides evidence-based insights for designing policies that promote sustainable environmental health and equitable social outcomes.

Does the coupling of digital and green technology innovation matter for carbon emissions?

The global situation of carbon reduction is very severe, and the coupling of digital and green technology innovation is one of the most significant approaches to promoting regional low-carbon transformation. A coupling evaluation model is employed to assess the coupling index between digital technology innovation and green technology innovation in China's 30 provinces from 2011 to 2021. The STIRPAT model is used to examine the impact of the increasing coupling index on carbon emissions, as well as its spatial effects, and heterogeneity. The results reveal that: (1) Recently, China has made remarkable strides in digital and green technology innovation. Nonetheless, there has been a decline trend in the average coupling level between these two, with slightly higher coupling levels observed in the central and western regions compared to the eastern coastal areas. (2) Green technology innovation has a significantl positive effect on carbon emissions, while digital innovation technology has an unstable negative impact on carbon emissions. (3) The increasing coupling index of green and digital technology innovation can substantially cut carbon emissions. The effects of different technological innovation levels and their coupling degree on carbon emissions show regional heterogeneity. (4) Coupling index and carbon emissions exhibit a notable spatial autocorrelation. Enhancing the local coupling index will result in a regional spillover effect on the carbon emission levels of surrounding regions. This study puts forward suggestions for increasing capital investment in digital and green technology innovation and optimizing the policy support environment for their integration and synergy, so as to lay the groundwork for advancing the national low-carbon transformation and hastening the attainment of "dual-carbon" goals.

Towards sustainable development goals: An analysis of environmental efficiency and the impacts of self-purification capacity across diverse income levels

The increasing urgency of global environmental degradation, particularly across diverse economic development stages, underscores a critical need for nuanced understanding and targeted strategies to achieve Sustainable Development Goals. Our study examines environmental efficiency trends over 27 years in 163 countries, utilizing greenhouse gases and particulate matter 2.5 as indicators. We address the challenge by developing and applying a two-stage method that combines a hyperbolic distance function with a stochastic meta frontier approach to assess environmental meta-efficiency. The average meta efficiency of these countries is 0.464, which remains at a relatively low level. Our model indicates that the high-income country group needs to reduce greenhouse gas and pollutant emissions by 25% and increase non-fossil energy usage by 33% to improve environmental efficiency. This suggests these countries must transition towards more sustainable energy sources and practices. Moreover, recognizing that existing income grouping inadequately characterizes each country, we use k-means cluster analysis for regrouping, more accurately reflecting individual differences. The regrouping results show that some high-income countries are classified into inactive groups, implying serious environmental problems. Our findings advocate for collaborative and tailored strategies to address these disparities. We conclude that income levels cannot solely drive environmental efficiency but must also consider geographical and climatic factors, which are pivotal in shaping a country's environmental policies and efforts. This approach offers a clearer understanding of current inefficiencies and sets the stage for more informed policy-making that can better address the specific needs and capabilities of different countries.

Deep mitigation for trade-embodied carbon emissions among the Belt and Road Initiative countries

The frequent trade within and beyond the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) has prospered the economy but has also expanded carbon emissions. Here, through a multi-regional environmental input-output analysis framework, we explore the patterns and inter-sectoral linkage of trade-embodied carbon emissions among BRI countries during 2015-2019. Then, a dynamic data envelopment analysis model considering carbon inequality as a non-discretionary input is constructed to assess the carbon emission efficiency of the identified key sector. We find that trade-embodied carbon emissions in the BRI steadily increased during 2015-2019. The manufacturing sector was identified as the key sector, exhibiting an overall efficiency of 0.6268 on average, with significant efficiency disparities. Moreover, we validate the positive role of efficiency enhancement in carbon emission mitigation, as well as the negative moderating effect of carbon inequality. Overall, this study provides optimal collaboration and initiatives to mitigate trade-embodied carbon emissions among BRI countries deeply.

Which productivity can promote clean energy transition -total factor productivity or green total factor productivity?

Developing clean energy is a key pathway and an inevitable choice for achieving the goals of carbon peak and carbon neutrality. From a global perspective, technology is increasingly affecting the trajectory of energy transition, driving clean energy into a stage of rapid development. Therefore, this paper focuses on exploring the dynamic evolutionary characteristics of clean energy transitions driven by different productivity. Using panel data from 171 economies from 1990 to 2019, this paper systematically examines the impact of Total Factor Productivity (TFP) and Green Total Factor Productivity (GTFP) on clean energy transitions. The empirical results indicate that both TFP and GTFP positively impact clean energy transition. Specifically, clean energy consumption increases by 3.35% and 6.03%with a one standard deviation change in TFP and GTFP respectively. Upon decomposing TFP and GTFP, it was found that Green Efficiency Change (GECH) and Green Technical Change (GHCH), especially GECH, are the main factors driving the clean energy transition. Heterogeneity analysis shows that, in developed economies, GTFP has a larger positive impact on clean energy transition than TFP. Furthermore, GTFP demonstrates a significant positive impact on the clean energy transition both before and after the 2008 financial crisis, whereas TFP's positive impact is only evident before the crisis. Our findings emphasize the social benefits of further investments in GTFP.

Assessing the impact of green finance on financial performance in Chinese eco-friendly enterprise

This study pioneers the construction of a regional Green Finance Development Index, meticulously examining the significant influence of green financing on the financial performance of ecologically responsible enterprises within the intricate landscape of China. Demonstrating a profound correlation, green finance emerges as a pivotal incentive, increasing the economic expertise of environmentally conscientious firms through the strategic consolidation of capital and the consistent exchange of vital information. Leveraging empirical data from 2012 to 2022 and focusing on green-listed enterprises, the study analyzes the nexus between green financing and corporate financial competency by employing the GMM Model. Notably, the study highlights the pivotal role of Research and Development (R&D) innovation as a channel for the transformative impact exercised by green funding. Discerning insights surface in exploring heterogeneity, revealing a pronounced inclination of green financing towards strengthening clean energy firms and enterprises operating with diminished reliance on government subsidies. This empirical research enhances the scientific basis of the green finance approach and establishes a strong platform for making decisions, promoting the sustainable proliferation of green sectors and businesses.

Examining sustainable development goals: are developing countries advancing in sustainable energy and environmental sustainability?

Environmental sustainability is vital in developing countries for sustainable economic development, poverty reduction, food security, climate change adaptation, biodiversity conservation, global equity, and access to sustainable energy. In contributing to literature, this study computed composite variables following the unavailability of a unified sustainable development goals (SDGs) database to examine the progress of ten sample developing countries. The authors propose the design of a database that utilizes the specific SDG indicators for empirical research. In testing the applicability of the proposed database, we sampled 32 indicators from the World Development Indicators database and employed principal component analysis to compute composite variables. The authors then contribute to broadening the understanding of literature by examining to what extent developing countries advance towards ensuring agricultural, energy, and environmental sustainability. And how the interplay between the SDG indicators differ across the low- and middle-income countries in terms of econometric analysis. The findings suggest that since the adoption of SDGs in 2015, developing countries have made progress in advancing water and sanitation sustainability, leading to improved environmental sustainability. Furthermore, the middle-income countries have demonstrated greater improvements in energy and agriculture sustainability compared to low-income countries in contributing to overall environmental sustainability. The developmental relationship between sustainable energy and agriculture in low- to middle-income countries reveals increased diversity, thereby presenting challenges in attaining synergy within SDGs in developing countries. Therefore, addressing and understanding the intricacies behind the adverse relationship between sustainable energy and agriculture is crucial in formulating curative policies that advance the progress of SDGs. The study concludes that environmental sustainability is a vital developmental concern to be integrated into inter-generational and intra-generational development in the SDG framework. Also, the progress of the SDG indicators is endogenous and the extent to which low-income countries lag behind middle-income towards achieving collective goals requires critical policy intervention.

How e-commerce support economic growth amid COVID-19: evidence from Chinese economy

The study's motivation develops from the need to comprehend how e-commerce affects economic resilience and recovery amid the COVID-19 crisis, particularly in the Chinese economy, and to provide empirical evidence to help stakeholders and policymakers understand how to use e-commerce for economic growth. This study aims to investigate how e-commerce supported economic expansion during the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly emphasizing the Chinese economy. Because of the rapid changes in consumer perceptions brought on by the COVID-19 epidemic, this study gives a thorough methodology for assessing the success of e-commerce businesses. The application's twenty-five secondary standards include two sustainability elements, sustainable development, and carbon dioxide emissions. Three Indian e-commerce companies serve as a case study to illustrate the assessment methodology. To capture the uncertainty in the judicial process, the findings are achieved via multi-criteria judgment (MCDM) technique called fuzzy VIKOR. In addition, quantitative research is used to rate and compare e-commerce businesses in terms of how well it meets the needs of their customers. The results break down the most crucial criterion and sub-criteria for online retailers to meet to meet consumer aspirations and remain profitable and environmentally responsible in the long run.

Exceptional and long-time economic development: CO2 emission reduction and adoption of green marketing in China

This study aims to boost green bond China's adoption of green marketing; the current research focuses on green defaults as demand-side strategies. This paper panel data collected from 2002 to 2021 used econometric methods. Purposive sampling was used to collect information from respondents. The empirical findings show that the link between income and Green Business Initiatives (GBI) increases emissions of carbon dioxide. Moreover, trade openness raises carbon dioxide emission, but human capital reduces them. This article also makes some predictions about how monetary policies will affect the economy. A policy of open market operations in which the government discounts less for second-hand debt, lowering the market value of money, credit, and interest rates. Results (2) show that the descriptive statistics for the dependent and independent variables of the global market's first-layer model. Green bonds are priced 0.12% more in ask yield than its conventional counterparts on average. The 0.09% point mean of GBI demonstrates that the bid-ask yields of green bonds are somewhat lower on average than those of conventional bonds. The econometric findings of robustness checks reveal that GDP volatility is low and growth rates are higher in economies with GB marketing. Excellent and long-term financial development, as well as strong gross fixed capital formation, are hallmarks China region, which indicate higher levels of economic investment than their control counterparts.

Assessing the environmental efficiency of OECD countries through the lens of ecological footprint indices

Environmental efficiency plays a crucial role in achieving sustainable economic development. This study aims to enhance the current understanding of dynamic environmental efficiency by using Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) in conjunction with the ecological footprint index. This study evaluates 27 OECD countries' environmental performance from 2000 to 2017, employing net capital stock, labor force, and energy consumption as inputs, ecological footprint as undesirable output, and GDP as desirable output. We utilize 16 window Slack-Based Measurement DEA (SBM-DEA) models, each representing consecutive years within the observation period. Additionally, we adopt the Global Malmquist-Luenberger Index (GMLI) techniques to facilitate a simultaneous evaluation of the efficiency levels for each country. Our findings reveal that the United Kingdom and Lithuania were the most and least ecologically efficient countries among the 27 OECD countries, respectively. Over the 18-year observation period, all countries showed both progress and setbacks in environmental efficiency, with a modest overall improvement. Poland, Denmark, Slovakia, and Lithuania were the most improved countries in environmental performance, while Canada and Japan showed the most significant regressions in environmental efficiency. We highlight the need for policymakers to prioritize sustainable economic growth and consider ecological footprints when making economic decisions to enhance environmental efficiency in OECD countries. Our findings have can guide policymakers in designing effective policies and strategies to enhance environmental efficiency and promote sustainable economic development.

Financial inclusion and low-carbon architectural design strategies: solutions for architectural climate conditions and architectural temperature on new buildings

The objective of this research is to explore the potential of financial inclusion and low-carbon architectural design strategies as solutions to improve the thermal comfort and energy efficiency of new buildings in different architectural climate conditions. The manufacture sector, which accounts for about 40% of all yearly greenhouse gas releases, has been stimulating with trying to reduce the amount of energy it consumes and the detrimental effects it has on the climate, in accordance with the standards outlined in the 2016 Paris Agreement. In this study, panel data analysis is used to examine the connection between green property financing and carbon dioxide emissions from the building sector in one hundred and five developed and developing countries. Although this analysis finds a negative correlation among the development of environmentally friendly real estate financing and firms' worldwide carbon dioxide emissions, it finds that this correlation is most robust in developing nations. A number of these countries are experiencing an unregulated and rapid population explosion, which has boosted their demand for oil, making this discovery essential for them. The difficulty in securing green funding during this crisis is slowing and even reversing gains made in past years, making it all the more important to keep this momentum going during the COVID-19 outbreak. It's critical to keep the momentum going by doing something.

Fintech and investment risk of digital finance: mediating role of clean energy and green bonds through the dynamics of spill over

This study examines how financial technology (FinTech) and green bonds have affected the ability of firms to finance energy efficiency measures by using data obtained from a subset of Chinese companies listed on the A-share market between 2011 and 2021. We apply the quantile-on-quantile method, which allows us to examine the interdependence of time series in each economy separately and yields data on the global and national levels indicating the relationship between the variables. The results show that an increase in both direct and indirect financing for businesses, as well as inter-bank competition, can greatly mitigate the financial limitations that firms suffer as a result of FinTech expansion. Our estimates show that the energy efficiency of the countries we chose improves when they are financed with green bonds across all quantiles of the data. Organizations not owned by the state, SMBs, and the more rapidly developing eastern half of China promise to benefit the most from the moderating effect of FinTech because of the faster pace of development there. The immediate ameliorating effect that financial technology has on reduced lending criteria mostly benefits businesses with either a strong innovation rate or a poor social responsibility performance rate. This is because businesses sharing either of these features are more likely to experiment and develop new products. Both theoretical and practical repercussions of this finding are explored.

The Protective Nature of Gold During Times of Oil Price Volatility: An Analysis of the COVID-19 Pandemic

This research explores gold's safe-haven properties amid oil price instability, focusing on the COVID-19 pandemic. The study examines how gold hedges against oil price swings in the context of the pandemic's exceptional market circumstances. A VAR (Vector Autoregressive) model analyzes gold and oil prices from 2006 through 2021. The VAR model reflects the dynamic interactions and interdependencies between these two essential commodities in the context of oil price volatility and the COVID-19 pandemic. This analysis shows that gold protects against oil price volatility and the COVID-19 pandemic-gold buffers against oil price swings due to its strong inverse association with oil prices. Gold offers investors security and asset preservation during significant oil price volatility. In light of oil price volatility and the COVID-19 pandemic, the study helps explain gold's importance as a diversification tool and haven asset. Investors, policymakers, and market players should consider gold as a hedge against oil price volatility and economic instability.

Role of geopolitical risk, currency fluctuation, and economic policy on tourist arrivals: temporal analysis of BRICS economies

The tourism industry is vulnerable to a range of economic and political factors, which can have both short-term and long-term impacts on tourist arrivals. The study aims to investigate the temporal dynamics of these factors and their impact on tourist arrivals. The method employed is a panel data regression analysis, using data from BRICS economies over a period of 1980-2020. The dependent variable is the number of tourist arrivals, while the independent variables are geopolitical risk, currency fluctuation, and economic policy. Control variables such as GDP, exchange rate, and distance to major tourist destinations are also included. The results show that geopolitical risk and currency fluctuation have a significant negative impact on tourist arrivals, while economic policy has a positive impact. The study also finds that the impact of geopolitical risk is stronger in the short term, while the impact of economic policy is stronger in the long term. Additionally, the study shows that the effects of these factors on tourist arrivals vary across BRICS countries. The policy implications of this study suggest that BRICS economies need to develop proactive economic policies that promote stability and encourage investment in the tourism industry.

Nexus among financial inclusion and sustainability in Asia: role of banking sector

Promoting shared prosperity, economic success, and the expansion of the financial sector to individual development supported by financial inclusion to reduce poverty. Financial inclusion in Asian countries is generally considered relatively low. Thus, the purpose of this study is to explore the connection between the accessibility of financial services and the dependability of the financial sector. To accomplish the study purpose, data is incorporated from financial institutions based in Asia from 2008 to 2017. The generalized moment approach (GMM) was used to analyze the data. The study findings indicated that a more equitable distribution of wealth might be achieved by expanding access to financial services and strengthening the banking system's capacity to weather shocks. Financial institutions might benefit from integration into the financial system by increasing profits, decreasing operational expenses, and increasing market share. Several directions for further research have been proposed based on the results of this work.

Assessing and validating tourism business model in hospitality industry: role of blockchain platform

The research aims to investigate the potential of blockchain technology to address the challenges facing traditional tourism businesses in the hospitality industry. By assessing and validating tourism business models, the research explores how blockchain can enhance transparency, efficiency, and cost reduction. This research utilizes the ARDL technique to examine the role of blockchain in the tourism in reducing environmental deterioration in China for the period of 2010-2020. The empirical analysis was used in this study. The study presents findings that support the effectiveness of blockchain in validating tourism business models. The authors conclude by discussing the implications of their research for the hospitality industry and suggest future research directions.

High-speed rail and firms' environmental performance: empirical evidence from China

Developing countries are struggling to balance the economic development and environment protection. This paper examines the impact of high-speed rail (HSR) on firm-level environmental performance in China. Using the staggered expansion of China's passenger-dedicated HSR and the panel data of Chinese manufacturing firm-level data from 2002 to 2012, we find that firms exhibit a lower level of chemical oxygen demand (COD) emissions after the opening of HSR. The average geographical slope of city is used as an instrumental variable to address the potential endogeneity problem of the HSR variable. Furthermore, the reduction effect of HSR introduction on firms' COD emission intensity is more pronounced for firms that located in eastern regions as well as technology-intensive and labor-intensive firms. Agglomeration economies, scale effects, and technological innovation are three plausible channels that allow HSR to promote firm environmental performance. Our paper provides new insights into the impacts of introduction of HSR on firm environmental performance and the development of green city.

A nexus between green digital finance and green innovation under asymmetric effects on renewable energy markets: a study on Chinese green cities

This article examines the innovation in the green sector frequently facing a financial conundrum. Production of renewable energy is the eighth sustainable development, based on the data from the 30 Chinese provinces (2000-2017). This study presents an analysis of the effects of green digital finance on green innovation on protection of environment using influence mechanism analysis. Digital finance, which has become a major driver of green innovations in China, may first increase the number and quality of green technical innovation. The results show that the promotion effect of digital finance on the efficiency of renewable energy markets is greater than the inhibitory effect, making the total effect less obviously favorable. In other results, the elasticity of lnGFDI is significant at the 5% level and is 0.1545% and 0.1880% in the present and 1-year delayed periods, respectively. Further, the average total effect of FDI on the effectiveness of green innovation is 0.008, with an average encouraging effect of 0.0051 and an average inhibiting effect of 0.0039. We conclude that diverse behavior for that policy support increases the impact of green digital finance, promote green innovation, and generate emission free environment for sustainable energy markets.

A hybrid model analysis of digitalization energy system: evidence from China's green energy analysis

The integration of renewable energy sources can be supported by the digitalization of energy systems, which increase dependability and lower costs of energy production and consumption. However, the energy digitalization support energy infrastructures and technologies currently in place are insufficient. This research presented the study results by using the generalized least square estimates (GLS) model and the international sample of China regions from 2003 to 2017. Main results of the dynamic fixed effect (DFE) estimator for the autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) method, establishing ES goals for lowering energy consumption and pollution emission fosters a country's renewable energy business sector's digital transformation in the short term, while encouraging the use of renewable energy sources fosters a country's long-term digitalization efforts. Based on this, the direct effects and dynamic effects of digitalization and financial development on environmental are explored, respectively, using the panel data regression model and panel vector autoregression (PVAR) model. The threshold regression model is then used to examine the two parameters' threshold effects on eco-efficiency. An accurate estimate of the resource consumption in smart factories is made possible by the digital twin that is created using the product's and its attributes as well as manufacturing data. The results suggests the future directions for the associated stakeholders.

Measuring sustainable development of intelligent tourism service system: analysis on the user's intention

The intelligent tourism service system will help strengthen the management of scenic spots, improve tourism efficiency, and help improve the tourism ecological environment. At present, there are few researches on intelligent tourism service system. This paper attempts to sort out the literature and build structural equation model based on UTAUT2 model (UTAUT is short for Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology) to analyze the factors that affect the users' willingness of use the intelligent tourism service system (ITSS) in scenic spots. The results show that (1) the effects of the factors affecting the users' intention to use the ITSS of tourist attractions are facilitating conditions (FC), social influence (SI), performance expectation (PE), and effort expectation (EE), (2) Both PE and EE can directly affect the user's intention to use ITSS, while EE indirectly affects the user's intention through PE. (3) SI and FC have a direct impact on the UI of ITSS. The simplicity of use on intelligent tourism application system products can significantly affect the user satisfaction index and product loyalty of the users. In addition, the usefulness factor of perception system and the risk factor of user perception system coexist, with the synergistic effect positively affects the ITSS and use behavior of the whole scenic spot. The main results provide theoretical basis and empirical support for the sustainable and efficient development of ITSS.

Natural resource volatility and financial development during Covid-19: Implications for economic recovery

Demand for natural resources is constant, while the prices of natural resources increase day-by-day, which has a significant impact on financial development and economic activity. Thus, the study intends to test the association of natural resource volatility and financial development, in order to recommend policies for economic recovery. The study acquires and analyses data for the N11 economies. The findings reveal that natural resource volatility is linked to global economic growth and governmental governance in pre-pandemic era as well as during pandemic. Results exposed that natural resource volatility has a large detrimental impact on global economic growth and plays a prominent part in economic recovery. The findings are robust and reveal that natural gas, oil, and the quality of public administration all contribute to N11 financial development. The study suggests that policymakers address the challenges raised through the solutions discussed.

Socioeconomic determinants of environmental efficiency: the case of the European Union

The study's main objective is to assess and evaluate the models of socioeconomic determinants of environmental efficiency in the European Union countries from 2010 to 2018. The two-step data envelopment analysis is implemented, using both constant and variable returns to scale assumption. Moreover, the results of the model of environmental efficiency determinants from four areas-tourism, circular economy, energy and resources use and quality of life-are presented. Based on our findings, it can be concluded that it is necessary to develop the concept of sustainable tourism because the enormous increase in foreign tourists harms environmental efficiency. It is also necessary to gradually transform economies into less energy-intensive towards knowledge-based economies. The positive impact of measures related to the pain of the circular economy was also demonstrated. In conclusion, we present several recommendations for EU policies concerning the current economic and energy situation.

Role of fiscal and monetary policies for economic recovery in China

After the pandemic, China's fiscal and monetary authorities implemented macroeconomic restructuring measures to combat the pandemic. Using a difference-in-difference model based on data collected during the COVID-19 phase, this study attempted to determine the economic recovery in China using the pandemic means for economic growth and energy consumption in other economies. A 0.21 percent increase in the western region's economic growth is comparable to a 0.15 percent increase in the growth of the southern central and northern regions during the pandemic period. Accordingly, we found evidence of actual provincial spillover effects in the clustering of high- and poor-performing regions. The impact of China's economic resurgence beyond the pandemic phase plays an important role in expanding power consumption in different regions. Since headwinds hamper economic development to aggregate output, fiscal policy is the sole option for maintaining pollution levels while simultaneously improving household well-being in terms of demand and employment.

Green bonds' liquidity in COVID-19 and low carbon investments in China: A stochastic trend analysis

Central banks and regulators increasingly consider climate-related financial risks (CRFR) relevant to their responsibilities for maintaining financial stability and using daily data from 2016 to 2021 for China. Specifically, we used the S&P Green Bond Price Index, the Solactive Global Solar Price Index, the Solactive Global Wind Price Index, and the S&P Global Clean Energy and Carbon Price Index as our data set. We use the TVP-VAR method to probe return spillovers and interconnectedness. We test several portfolio strategies, including the minimum variance portfolio, the minimum correlation portfolio, and the more recent minimum connectedness portfolio. However, the evolving policy structure for dealing with CRFR has generally focused on market-based solutions that attempt to address perceived data gaps that preclude the appropriate pricing of CRFR, even though CRFR is thought to have certain distinctive features. Disclosure and openness fall within this category. We propose limiting the approach's influence since CRFR is characterized by extreme attainability. A 'precautionary' financial policy option is presented as an alternative, providing a conceptual foundation for justifying more aggressive financial policy intervention in the present to better cope with these long-term dangers.

Advancing Electrode Properties through Functionalization for Solid Oxide Cells Application: A Review

Hydrogen energy has emerged as the only renewable which is capable of sustaining the prevalent energy crisis in conjunction with other intermittent sources. In this connection, solid oxide cell (SOC) is the most sustainable solid-state devices capable of recycling and reproducing green hydrogen fuel. It is operable in reversible modes viz, fuel cell (FC) and electrolysis cell (EC). SOC is capable of engaging multiple fuels thereby promoting carbon neutral planet. The all-solid design further augments the optimization of cost, efficiency, durability and endurance at higher temperature. Electrodes are therefore, an important component which is responsible for electrocatalytic processing of fuel and oxidant for higher recyclability of cell/stack. The present review article embarks a detailed overview on the past and present status of electrode composition, heterointerface engineering applicable for SOC's. Recent trends in electrode engineering and the possibilities for advancement in SOC is also reviewed with respect to both experimental and computational aspects.

Investigating the energy-environmental Kuznets curve under panel quantile regression: a global perspective

Energy is regarded as an engine of economic growth and an important ingredient of human survival and development, but it can lead to deterioration of environmental quality. The study investigates the energy environmental Kuznets curve (EEKC) during the 1990-2017 period for 144 countries using models for total energy, renewable energy, and non-renewable energy consumptions. We employ panel mean and quantile regressions, accounting for individual and distributional heterogeneities. It is found that the EEKC sustains among the higher middle-income countries while it cannot be verified at some lower-income quantiles due to the heterogeneous nature of the different groups of countries. The relationship between economic growth, total energy, and non-renewable energy consumption is positive and non-linear. The quantile estimations revealed mixed (positive and non-linear, inverted U-shape, U-shape, and N-shape) EEKC. The maximum and minimum turning values of GDP per capita for total energy consumption (is 43,201.58 and 89,630.49), for renewable energy consumption (53,535.07 and 89,869.41), and for non-renewable energy consumption (42,188.16 and 89,487.71). Urbanization and population growth had positive impacts on energy consumption while these effects become more significant as moving from low to high-income quantiles. The study implies that while the developed nations can adopt energy-efficient policies without compromising on the growth momentum and environment, this might be not recommended for the developing nations and it would be preferable for these countries to "grow first and clean up later." The study indicates the importance of the developed nations to support the developing countries to achieve economic growth along the EEKC by transferring energy-efficient technologies.

Comprehensive Environmental Assessment Index of Ecological Footprint

This paper aims to contribute to the growing body of research literature on assessing environmental efficiency by introducing a new key performance indicator (KPIs) in more complete and dependable aspects of ecological footprint indices. For this purpose, the DEA model considering three inputs (energy consumption, labor force, and capital stock), one desirable output (GDP), and different undesirable outputs (CO₂ emissions, ecological footprint indicators) are applied to 27 OECD countries from 2000 to 2017. According to the results, Norway, Luxemburg, and United Kingdom are the most environmentally efficient countries in terms of environmental efficiency and ecological footprint efficiency. On the other hand, the lowest environmental and ecological footprint efficiencies were in countries like Lithuania, Slovak, Czech, Estonia, and the USA. In addition, these nations fare poorly regarding their carbon footprint and farmland efficiency. In further detail, Lithuania, South Korea, Portugal, and Spain have a critical status in fishing ground efficiency, while the forest area efficiency is very acute in Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Czech.

Visualizing the sustainable development goals and natural resource utilization for green economic recovery after COVID-19 pandemic

After the COVID-19 outbreak, this study examines the influence of modifications in China's Sustainable Growth Goals (SDGs) and economic development goals on Chinese enterprises' energy conservation and emissions reduction behavior. Meanwhile, the COVID-19 epidemic has erupted, displacing the flimsy traditional techniques. As a result, the post-COVID-19 pandemic emphasizes the need for a long-term sustainable development method compatible with the local and regional environmental systems. The main objective of this study is used as a roadmap to steer the post-COVID-19 pandemic on a sustainable green path by emphasizing sustainable energy strategies to connect in SDG-related efforts. The investigation in this paper begins with examining significant impacts in the energy industry and their impact on progress toward sustainability. The empirical findings that the CO2 emissions reduction objectives in long-term development plans had a considerable impact on energy saving and emissions reduction, lowering energy consumption intensity by 3.33% and carbon emission intensity by 4.23% between 2010 and 2019. Besides, the results and long and short run techniques are built to describe the Sustainable Development Goals interface, with the result revealing that Sustainable Development Goals enhance the green economic recovery performance. Furthermore, this study recommends that the key natural resources and green economic recovery policies to overcome the climate change impacts by COVID-19 pandemic.

Evaluating economic recovery by measuring the COVID-19 spillover impact on business practices: evidence from Asian markets intermediaries

The COVID-19 outbreak significantly affected the global economy and energy markets. To mitigate the shock, maintain financial market stability, and encourage economic recovery, this study investigates the influence of post-COVID-19 on monetary policy transmission to business practices and financial market indicators for green economic recovery. We utilised 37 Asian markets’ panel data from 1 January 2020, through 30 December 2020. The empirical findings demonstrate that the pandemic’s emergence impeded monetary policy transmission, business practices, and financial markets. Our empirical contribution is to examine the size, sectoral allocation, and implementation options of three leading countries’ (China, Japan, and Thailand) green recovery spending plans, which range significantly. However, this effect mainly affects the medium-and-long-term effects, and short-term spillover effects are primarily unaffected by Asian monetary policy uncertainty. Our findings have significant implications for green economic recovery among market players and regulators in the Asian market.

Covid-19 impact on financial growth and guidelines for green recovery in BRICS: fresh insights from econometric analysis

Sustainable development and socioeconomic growth are balanced through green economic recovery post pandemic. To statistically examine the coordinated development of green economic growth, foreign direct investment, stock market return and financial development, this paper constructs a complete indicator system for green economic recovery and financial development, by using a VAR model for the BRICS over the period of 2000–2020. Our results demonstrate that FDI significantly improves environmental quality by lowering pollution levels and improve the green economic growth in the region (BRICS). Stock market also has a significant positive effect on green economic growth. On the other side, FDI has a significant detrimental effect on financial development. Finally, financial development has a considerable detrimental impact on environmental deterioration. Our analysis recommends that besides the initiatives in financial growth, FDI and stock market be given priority in order to improve sustainable development.

Modeling factors of biogas technology adoption: a roadmap towards environmental sustainability and green revolution

In a developing country such as Pakistan, adopting biogas technology is a complicated process. The government has taken several steps to address energy issues by increasing biogas facilities. This research seeks to identify the major barriers to the deployment of biogas plants. Respondents were selected using the snowball sampling method. As a result, 79 adopters of biogas plants participated. Utilizing a structured questionnaire, primary data were collected. Hypotheses were evaluated using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). Study results demonstrate that all influencing factors are favorably associated with implementing biogas technology, minimizing energy crises, and achieving cost-cutting objectives. In addition, the findings show that properly reducing economic and governmental barriers, encourage farmers to use biogas plants productively and substantially. To build biogas facilities, the government should adopt an economic strategy, owner training, day-to-day operations, and professional technical assistance.

Assessing mechanism of financial institutions' role in managing environmental vulnerabilities

The study estimates whether the role of non-banking financial institutions in managing economic vulnerability contributes to whether non-banking financial institutions' role in managing economic vulnerability contributes to higher economic welfare at the public level in Pakistan. The empirical estimation is carried out on secondary data ranging from 1990 to 2020. Using autoregressive distributed lag estimation technique, short-run and long-run effects on non-banking financial institutions are examined. The study contributed to the following: the short- and long-run connection between economic development and non-banking financial institutions (NBFIs) was found, while an experimental outcome indicated a causal connection between NBFIs and financial development improvement. Moreover, the non-banking financial institutes reduce the economy's real sector due to excessive risk in the financial sector. Our results reveal a correlation between non-banking financial integration and economic growth changes related to an expansion in loan recipients. The nominal interest rate significantly explains the economic growth of Pakistan. NBFI part in the liquidity procedure of budgetary resources is said to be in charge of financial development in creating nations. General consequences of the examination on NBFIs demonstrated a positive effect on the financial development of Pakistan. From policy viewpoint, the study suggests multiple policy implications to the practitioner of non-banking financial institutions and the national economy to curtail the adverse effects of economic vulnerability on national economic welfare in the public.

Does green finance and energy policy paradox demonstrate green economic recovery: Role of social capital and public health

Green economy development has become a mainstream value orientation in social and global economic development to protect and improve the ecological environment. Multiple stakeholders are needed to address complex issues, such as climate change and its impact on the ecological environment and public health. This study investigates the impact of energy policy and green finance on green economic recovery via the controlling role of social capital and public health. An entropy approach was used to measure the green economic index in addition to an econometric approximation for interpreting the longitudinal dataset for the scenarios for E7 countries between 2010 and 2020. The findings show that the development of green finance significantly improves green productivity. Higher levels of economic and social conditions, a lower level of public involvement in environmental protection, and a higher level of pollution amplify this positive effect. On the other hand, energy policy can enhance the impact of green finance development. The findings suggest that the empirical findings benefit green finance planning and energy policy.

Efficiency measurement and spatial spillover effect of provincial health systems in China: Based on the two-stage network DEA model

The effectiveness of a health care system is an important factor for improving people's health and quality of life. The purpose of this research is to analyze the efficiency and spatial spillover effects of provincial health systems in China using panel data from 2009 to 2020. We employ the two-stage network DEA model to evaluate their efficiencies and use a spatial econometric model for empirical estimation. The results suggest that the overall efficiency, resource allocation efficiency, and service operation efficiency of health systems in different regions of China generally have fluctuating upward trends, with large differences in efficiency among the various regions. Further analysis reveals that the efficiency of China's health system has a significant spatial spillover effect. The level of economic development, fiscal decentralization and old-age dependency ratio are important factors affecting the health system efficiency. Our findings help to identify the efficiency and internal operating mechanisms of China's health system at different stages, and are expected to contribute to policymakers' efforts to build a high-quality health service system.

Evaluation of sustainable economic and environmental development evidence from OECD countries

This study analyzes the economic and environmental performance of OECD countries over 2000–2019. A by-production approach is applied and the efficiency score is decomposed into its economic and environmental components. Unlike previous studies, we apply a refined model that allows for the correct modeling of by-production technology. The refined model can provide clear economic illustrations for balancing economic growth and environmental protection. The results indicate that environmental inefficiency is higher than the potential economic improvement. The environmental efficiency of OECD countries is improving, while economic performance is worsening over time. Therefore, instead of highly polluting energy, clean energy should be used to build a low-carbon economy. Worldwide, carbon-emitting countries and developed countries should shoulder their responsibilities to reduce carbon emissions and provide emission reduction funds for developing countries, while simultaneously sharing the green production technologies needed to reduce emissions.

Sustainable development through sustainable entrepreneurship and innovation: a single-case approach

Purpose

This paper aims to understand how a sustainable entrepreneur through his/her sustainable innovation can implement the three pillars of sustainable development, i.e. economic, social and environmental pillars, and how an entrepreneurial opportunity can be sought in environmental problems to develop a new product.

Design/methodology/approach

A qualitative research approach using a single-case study design has been adopted. It discusses the case of an Indian sustainable entrepreneur working for the cause of reducing plastic pollution in India and providing employment to rural women from economically weaker backgrounds. Data was primarily collected through semi-structured interviews, which were analyzed through thematic analysis.

Findings

The paper shows how an entrepreneur through entrepreneurial opportunity discovery and sustainable innovation contributes toward sustainable development.

Practical implications

This study highlights the need for institutional support by governments for a wide spectrum of sustainable enterprises as they can help the governments in achieving sustainable development goals at local levels. It will also act as a representative example for the entrepreneurs about how one can covert an environmental problem into an opportunity, through sustainable innovation.

Originality/value

The originality of the study lies in the presentation of an innovative idea developed by the entrepreneur for addressing the problem of plastic waste. The case used here demonstrates that sustainable entrepreneurship, through sustainable innovation, can deal with multiple economic, social and environmental issues.

Can national environmental protection supervision and control have a lasting impact on corporate production efficiency? - an empirical study based on the multi-phase difference-in-difference model

National environmental protection supervision and control has become essential means to regulate the environmental behavior of enterprises. Furthermore, the optimization, promotion, and sustainability of relevant policies are key topics of inquiry. Taking the implementation of national environmental protection supervision policies as the time series, this paper studies the impact of national environmental protection supervision and control on corporate production efficiency. It uses the multi-phase difference-in-difference (DID) method and explores the sustainability of said policies. Results indicate that, first, national environmental protection supervision and control can considerably enhance corporate production efficiency, and green technology innovation plays a vital role as an intervening variable. Second, national environmental protection supervision and control can only boost the increase in corporate production efficiency in the short term, and the impact will no longer be noticeable in the third year. This paper provides a decision-making basis for constantly boosting and revising national environmental protection supervision and control policies and stimulating green technology innovation.

Renewable energy and current account balance nexus

Renewable energy is in the center for providing a sustainable energy future. Renewables are the key for overcoming the energy problems. This paper investigated the dynamic and causal relationship among renewable energy production, current account balance, energy imports, renewable energy consumption, and economic growth in the 1976-2019 period for G20 countries through panel Fourier bootstrapping ARDL model. According to empirical results, the evidence of cointegration between the selected variables was determined. Results indicate that economic growth, energy imports, energy consumption, and current account balance provide the important impacts on renewable energy generations. Our results determined that there is a unidirectional causality from energy imports, renewable energy consumption, and current deficit to renewable energy production. As countries decrease their dependence on the imports of energy, this may both increase the quality of environment through production of more renewable energy and reduce current account imbalances.

Role of green financing and financial inclusion to develop the cleaner environment for macroeconomic stability: Inter-temporal analysis of ASEAN economies

The research objective is to assess the role of green financing and financial inclusion in developing a cleaner environment for macroeconomic stability in ASEAN economies. The study attempted to estimate the climate mitigation factor associated with a more sanitary environment between 2012 and 2019. Panel data analysis using the augmented Dicky–Fuller test, Phillip–Perron, and fully modified standard most minor square test provides long-term findings in panel data analysis. In addition, the vector error correction technique was also applied to infer study results. The findings indicate that climate change mitigation indicators have a significant impact on the gross domestic product of ASEAN economies. According to the data, a one percent rise in the green finance index results in a 0.321 percent increase in the amount of pollution removed from the environment. According to the research findings, environmental pollution must be decreased, and energy sources must be switched to more creative and ecologically friendly alternatives. Using study findings, several policy recommendations are offered and suggested for stakeholders for implementation. As per our best understanding, effective implementation of study findings and suggestions maximum chances are developing a cleaner environment and boosting macroeconomic stability in the ASEAN context.

The Impacts of Resource Endowment, and Environmental Regulations on Sustainability—Empirical Evidence Based on Data from Renewable Energy Enterprises

In today’s socio-economic context where environmental protection and sustainable development are equally important, how renewable energy enterprises can achieve sustainable development has become a topic of academic interest in recent years. This paper investigates the link between sustainable growth (SG) of renewable energy firms, resource endowment (RE), and environmental regulatory (ERs) issues through a fixed-effects model and a GMM model. Through empirical analysis, it was found that economical environmental regulations have the greatest positive impact on sustainable growth, followed by legal environmental regulations and supervised environmental regulations. Resource endowment is positively related to sustainable growth for non-state-owned renewable energy enterprises, but the negative impact on sustainable growth reflects the effect the of “resource curse”. In addition, resource endowment has a negative moderating effect on environmental regulations and sustainable growth. Thus, the most significant effect is on the relationship between economical environmental regulations and sustainable growth, followed by legal environmental regulations and supervised environmental regulations. Therefore, the flexible and concurrent application of multiple environmental policies is an important way to ensure effective regulations and promote sustainable business growth.

The impact of human capital and bio-capacity on the environmental quality: evidence from G20 countries

This study investigates the effects of human capital, bio-capacity, energy use, and economic growth on the ecological footprint of G20 countries for the period 1970-2016, using the panel dynamic common correlated effects (DCCE) model. In the study, the G20 was considered in two groups, as developed and emerging economies. According to the DCCE estimation results, the long-term impact of human capital on the ecological footprint is negative and statistically strong in the developed economies while it is insignificant in the emerging economies. The impact of bio-capacity on the ecological footprint is positive in the short and long term in the emerging economies, and only in the short term in the developed economies. In addition, economic growth and energy use undermine the environmental quality in both groups of countries. The error correction coefficients are negative and statistically significant, which means that the deviations from the short-term equilibrium converge the long-term equilibrium level for both groups.

What drives low-carbon agriculture? The experience of farms from the Wielkopolska region in Poland

Because of global environmental problems, low-carbon agriculture has gained increasing importance both in developed and developing countries. Hence, there is a need to find ways to develop more efficient agricultural systems. The purpose of this article is to identify the drivers of low-carbon agriculture on farms in the Wielkopolska region (in Poland). We aimed to take an original approach to investigate low-carbon agriculture with a unique set of different economic and environmental variables and contribute to the literature, which is not very extensive in terms of microeconomic research, including research on farmers in the Wielkopolska region. Therefore, we employed a multiple-factor measurement model for structural equation modeling (SEM) of data collected individually from 120 farms in 2020. As a result, we formulated the following conclusions: the increasing productivity of factors (land, labor, and capital) have a positive effect on low-carbon farming, just as increasing fertilizer and energy efficiency. Moreover, thermal insulation is also important for low-carbon agriculture, with efficiency of fertilizer use being the most important factor. We believe that the issues of farm use of fertilizers and thermal insulation of buildings should be more broadly included in energy policy, both at the national and the European Union (EU) levels. Some of these factors however are already present in the common agricultural policy (CAP) for 2021-2027.

How financial development affects green energy finance? Relationship between environmental regulation and economic performance

The construction of green finance index is a three-tiered process that involves macroeconomic, ecological, and monetary indicators. Therefore, this research is one of the first thorough assessments of the impacts of green financing regulations in China, examining 30 provinces during the period of 2010 to 2017. Data envelopment analysis models for 30 provinces in China have been tested by using non-radial models and longitudinal datasets. The findings demonstrate that between 2010 and 2017, the efficiency of China's provinces such as Beijing, Fujian, Guangdong, Hainan, Hebei, Jiangsu, Liaoning, Shandong, Shanghai, Tianjin, and Zhejiang and provinces of central regions as well as western provinces of country green economies has increased with distinct geographical disparities becoming more apparent. The geographical distribution of economic efficacy in the green economy is greatest in the eastern parts and poorest in the Chongqing, Gansu, Guangxi, Guizhou, Inner Mongolia, Ningxia, Qinghai, Shaanxi, Sichuan, Tibet, Xinjiang, and Yunnan. The study revealed that sustainable financial growth may be accomplished via the creation of green financing, which can be achieved by employing different solutions across the macroeconomic, institutional, and ecological considerations. The western and central areas, however, have a significant negative association. There are substantial variations in factors at the state and federal level from the viewpoint of dependent variables. Eventually, the research offers some suggestions for future ecological impact of China, along with the creation of new environmental legislation.

Unlocking the role of energy poverty and its impacts on financial growth of household: is there any economic concern

The major purpose of this study is to assess racial disparity and energy poverty index by measuring energy poverty index by using data envelopment analysis and regression equation from South Asia (2001-2018). An energy poverty index is quantifying the size and scope of energy poverty, and DEA is used to investigate the relevance of socioeconomic position to multidimensional energy poverty. In multidimensional energy poverty, location, house ownership position, number of dependents, and the age of the main caregiver have an important positive impact. Our research has shown that Bhutan is the most susceptible nation with an energy poverty index of (0.02), Maldives (0.03), and Bangladesh (0.11), while India (0.86) and Pakistan (0.49) are the least likely to be energy poor as regards energy poverty. Of the total energy production, 78% is based on traditional fuels, followed by 12% based on petroleum products. The Gini index indicates a positive association with the energy poverty index at a 5% significance level. This signifies that these socioeconomic indicators positively contribute to the energy poverty index level. This study developed more synchronized policies to eradicate energy poverty and can provide a way forward for policymakers to develop strategies to implement them suitably in the regional power sector.

Analyzing the economic development-driven ecological deficit in the EU-15 countries: new evidence from PSTR approach

This paper empirically analyzes the non-linear effect of economic activities on ecological balance indicators that estimate the balance between economies' pressure on nature and the biologically productive resource areas affected by human activity and the earth's ecological carrying capacity. In measuring this balance, ecological balance sheet indicators are divided into four sub-components: cropland, fishing grounds, forest area, and grazing land. The sample of the study consists of the EU-15 countries over the period 1995-2016. To render the study robust with respect to econometric issues such as potential endogeneity bias, cross-country heterogeneity, non-linearity, and time instability, the panel smooth transition regression (PSTR) method is adapted. The empirical findings reveal that up to a certain threshold level, economic activities do not affect the ecological balance as nature can compensate for the resulting externalities, but beyond this threshold, waste accumulation and pollution exceed nature's capacity to absorb. Consequently, these findings do not empirically support the EKC hypothesis with an inverted U-shaped curve and suggest that active environmental policies are needed to improve the environment.

How marine tourism promote financial development in sustainable economy: new evidences from South Asia and implications to future tourism students

The ocean economy and marine tourism policies are global economic concerns being looked at from a deeply holistic viewpoint. For South Asian countries, the ocean economy and marine tourism have successive socio-economic importance. The quantification of the ocean economy and marine tourism also poses some major challenges, and these challenges pose limitations for policymaking by the government and other relevant agencies. The study has used the newly developed hidden panel cointegration test, and the nonlinear panel autoregressive distributed lag (NPARDL) model for a relationship between economic growth and tourism is assessed. This study offers consistent and reliable results of cointegration by incorporating the findings of four approaches to cointegration. The empirical results illustrate the asymmetric relationship between ocean and marine tourism and economic growth. The findings showed that 1% increase in long-term tourism economic growth is adjusted by 2.95% annually. This research paper aims to provide a policy related to South Asia's economic activities and ocean and marine tourism economic significance. Protecting local marine protected areas (MPAs) will improve the economic benefits of the ocean and the marine economy. The policy suggests that there should be a law ensuring that marine tourism is of high quality and environment friendly. This paper provides a guideline for further research with a strong emphasis on ocean- and marine-related economic development and tourism.

Economic complexity, tourism, energy prices, and environmental degradation in the top economic complexity countries: fresh panel evidence

The study explores the association between economic complexity index (ECI), tourism (TR), gross domestic products (GDP), gross domestic products per capita (GPC), and energy prices indices (EPI) on CO₂e using the top 18 economic complexity index countries data from 1990 to 2019. We employ the second-generation cointegration methods and cross-sectionally augmented autoregressive distributed lag (CS-ARDL) to analyze the short- and long-term association also Dumitrescu and Hurlin Granger causality test applied. The results of Pesaran and Yamagata slope heterogeneity and Pesaran CD test confirm the presence of cross-sectional unit relationship and slope heterogeneity across countries, while positive long- and short-term associations were found among ECI, GDP, and CO₂e. Also, TR, GPC, and EPI decrease carbon emissions both in the long and short term . Moreover, Augmented Mean Group (AMG) techniques verified and support these findings. The outcomes of the Dumitrescu and Hurlin Granger causality test showed that any policy aim at ECI, TR, GDP, GPC, and EPI has a considerable impact on CO₂e. Based on the rigorous empirical analysis, we suggest that economic complexity, tourism, GDP, GPC, and energy prices would help alleviate high economic complexity countries' environmental degradation challenges.

Does technological innovation improve energy-environmental efficiency? New evidence from China's transportation sector

The rapid modernization of the transportation sector has greatly escalated many problems, especially the high energy consumption and vehicle exhaust pollution. How to reduce pollution in the transportation sector has attracted widespread attention in recent years. Based on a balanced panel dataset of 30 Chinese provinces spanning the period of 2005-2017, this study attempts to investigate the influence of technological innovation on the energy-environmental efficiency of the transportation sector (EETS) using the spatial econometric approach. The empirical results suggest that first, transportation-related technological innovation and EETS exhibited obvious hot spots and cold spots at the provincial level in China. Second, technological innovation could facilitate the energy-environmental efficiency of transportation sector in China. Third, one province developing transportation-related technological innovations might promote EETS in its neighboring provinces. Fourth, the transportation-related technological innovation in eastern China could boost EETS, while the transportation-related technological innovation in central and western China had a rebound effect on EETS. One possible innovation is that this study extends the relationship between technological innovation and energy-environmental efficiency to the transportation sector.

Exploring PM2.5 Environmental Efficiency and Its Influencing Factors in China

In China, air pollution, especially fine particulate matter (PM2.5) pollution, has become increasingly serious with the rapid economic growth that has occurred over the past 40 years. This paper aims to introduce PM2.5 pollution as a constraint in the environmental efficiency research framework through the use of panel data covering the Chinese provinces from 2001–2018. PM2.5 environmental efficiency is measured with the slack-based measure (SBM)-Undesirable-variable returns-to-scale (VRS) model, and the results show that the average PM2.5 environmental efficiency score is 0.702, which indicates inefficiency, and is U-shaped over time. The PM2.5 environmental efficiency scores are unbalanced across the eight regions and 30 provinces of China. Additionally, the relationship between PM2.5 environmental efficiency and its influencing factors is examined with a tobit model, and the empirical findings indicate that the relationship between economic development and PM2.5 environmental efficiency is an inverted U, which is the opposite of the traditional environmental Kuznets curve (EKC). In addition, technological innovation, trade dependency, and regional development each have a significantly positive effect on PM2.5 environmental efficiency. However, environmental regulations, the industrial structure, and population density have significantly negative effects on PM2.5 environmental efficiency. Finally, this paper fails to prove that foreign direct investment (FDI) has created a PM2.5 “pollution haven” in China.

Evaluating the energy, health efficiency, and productivity in OECD

In the past, energy and environmental research focused on the performance of individual efficiencies. In order to make up for the research deficiencies, this research uses SBM (slack-based measures) dynamic network DEA (DN-SBM) to assess energy, health efficiency, and DN-TFP productivity changes from 2011 to 2015. This research uses forest area as the carryover that can objectively measure the performance of OECD energy, health, and total efficiency, and calls for the importance of forest protection and planting. The empirical results show that Estonia, Finland, Hungary, Iceland, Mexico, New Zealand, Portugal, Slovenia, Sweden, and Turkey have the best overall efficiency performance, while Ireland (0.4469), Israel (0.4179), and the Netherlands (0.3697) are the three worst. In total, 29 economies show progress in terms of productivity. Moreover, Chile (0.9706), Mexico (0.9995), Slovak Republic (0.9942), Turkey (0.9815), and the UK (0.9886) exhibit a slight decline. The overall efficiency value of 20 countries is greater than the average, and their productivity is showing an upward trend. Only the UK (0.5081, 0.9886) has an overall efficiency value that is less than the overall average with productivity that is showing a drop. About research method, this study utilizes dynamic intertemporal data to evaluate the changes in the overall efficiency and productivity of OECD members with DN-SBM and DN-TFP indices in order to offer more objective research results for various economies that are useful for formulating policies related to energy, national health, and forest conservation.