Assessing the environmental impacts of renewable energy sources: A case study on air pollution and carbon emissions in China

Reducing air pollution does not necessarily reduce related adults' mortality burden: Variations in 177 countries with different economic levels

Prolonged exposure to PM2.5 is associated with increased mortality. However, reducing air pollution concentrations does not necessarily reduce the related burden of deaths. Here, we aim to estimate the variations in PM2.5-related mortality due to contributions from key factors - PM2.5 concentration, population exposure, and healthcare levels - for 177 countries from 2000 to 2018 at the 1-km grid scale according to the Global Mortality Exposure Model (GEMM) model. We find that global reductions in PM2.5-related deaths mainly come from high and upper-middle income countries, where lowered air pollutant concentration and better healthcare can offset mortality burdens caused by increasing exposed populations. Changes in population exposure to PM2.5 contribute the most (54 %) to change in global related deaths over the examined period, followed by changes in healthcare (-42 %) and pollution concentrations (4 %). The impacts vary across countries and regions within them due to other drivers, which are significantly influenced by development status. Policies aiming at reducing PM2.5 associated health risks need to account for country-specific balances of these key socioeconomic drivers.

Unveiling the health consequences of air pollution in the world's most polluted nations

Air pollution poses a persuasive threat to global health, demonstrating widespread detrimental effects on populations worldwide. Exposure to pollutants, notably particulate matter with a diameter of 2.5 µm (PM2.5), has been unequivocally linked to a spectrum of adverse health outcomes. A nuanced understanding of the relationship between them is crucial for implementing effective policies. This study employs a comprehensive investigation, utilizing the extended health production function framework alongside the system generalized method of moments (SGMM) technique, to scrutinize the interplay between air pollution and health outcomes. Focusing on a panel of the top twenty polluted nations from 2000 to 2021, the findings yield substantial insights. Notably, PM2.5 concentration emerges as a significant factor, correlating with a reduction in life expectancy by 3.69 years and an increase in infant mortality rates by 0.294%. Urbanization is found to increase life expectancy by 0.083 years while concurrently decreasing infant mortality rates by 0.00022%. An increase in real per capita gross domestic product corresponds with an improvement in life expectancy by 0.21 years and a decrease in infant mortality rates by 0.00065%. Similarly, an elevated school enrollment rate is associated with a rise in life expectancy by 0.17 years and a decline in infant mortality rates by 0.00032%. However, a higher population growth rate is found to modestly decrease life expectancy by 0.019 years and slightly elevate infant mortality rates by 0.000016%. The analysis reveals that per capita greenhouse gas emissions exert a negative impact, diminishing life expectancy by 0.486 years and elevating infant mortality rates by 0.00061%, while per capita energy consumption marginally reduces life expectancy by 0.026 years and increases infant mortality rates by 0.00004%. Additionally, economic volatility shock presents a notable decrement in life expectancy by 0.041 years and an increase in infant mortality rates by 0.000045%, with inflationary shock further exacerbating adverse health outcomes by lowering life expectancy by 0.70 years and elevating infant mortality rates by 0.00025%. Moreover, the study scrutinizes the role of institutional quality, revealing a constructive impact on health outcomes. Specifically, the institutional quality index is associated with an increase in life expectancy by 0.66% and a decrease in infant mortality rates by 0.0006%. Extending the analysis to examine the nuanced dimensions of institutional quality, the findings discern that economic institutions wield a notably stronger positive influence on health outcomes compared to political and institutional governance indices. Finally, the results underscore the pivotal moderating role of institutional quality in mitigating the deleterious impact of PM2.5 concentration on health outcomes, counterbalancing the influence of external shocks, and improving the relationships between explanatory variables and health outcome indicators. These findings offer critical insights for guiding evidence-based policy implications, with a focus on fostering resilient, sustainable, and health-conscious societies.

Spatial effect of biomass energy consumption on carbon emissions reduction: the role of globalization

As globalization proceeds, increasing biomass energy consumption is an important pathway to replace fossil fuels for tackling climate change by reducing emissions. This study explores the spatial spillover effect in biomass energy carbon reduction, which is frequently ignored when investigating environmental factors. It uncovers whether globalization and its dimensions can strengthen the spatial effect of biomass energy carbon reduction. Besides, we reveal whether biomass energy consumption can promote CO2 emissions reduction while ensuring economic progress. Results show that (1) owing to the spillover effect, biomass energy consumption plays a significant role in direct and indirect enhancing carbon emissions reduction, with their feedback effects of - 0.003 or 3.3% of the direct effect. (2) Increasing overall, social and political globalization enhances biomass energy consumption's carbon reduction effect. (3) In countries with higher economic development, overall, economic and political globalization has a better promotion in the spatial effect of biomass energy carbon reduction. (4) Developing biomass energy can support the environment quality while enhancing economic growth.

Empirical evidence of emissions discourse related to food, beverage, and tobacco production in leading manufacturing nations

The proliferation of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions has resulted in significant environmental challenges worldwide, particularly within industrialized nations. The present paper tries to investigate the role of food, beverages, and tobacco in mitigating CO2 emissions in the top industrial countries. Economic growth and renewable and non-renewable energy consumption are integrated as control variable in the empirical model. The study applied the pooled mean group-autoregressive distributed lag (PMG-ARDL) model proposed by (J Appl Econ, 16:289-326, 2001) and Granger causality test for causalities directions. The empirical outcomes suggest the presence of cross-sectional dependence, and variables are integrated of order one and cointegrated. Long-run estimates revealed the presence of inversed U curve proving the validity of the environmental Kuznets curve. Also, the results show that renewable energy (RE) consumption contribute in reducing emissions, while non-renewable energy (NRE) and food, beverages, and tobacco (FBT) led to increase emissions level in the long run. Granger shows bidirectional long-run relationship between CO2 emissions, non-renewable energy, and economic growth. Moreover, Granger recorded no causality between food, beverages, and tobacco and any other variable. We recommend that firms engaged in the production of food, beverages, and tobacco products are increasingly urged to make investments in clean technologies powered by renewable energy sources for their manufacturing processes. This is considered a necessary step to achieve a significant reduction in CO2 emissions over an extended period.

A review of interconnected challenges in the water-energy-food nexus: Urban pollution perspective towards sustainable development

The swift growth of cities worldwide poses significant challenges in ensuring a sufficient water, energy, and food supply. The Nexus has innovated valuable systems to address these challenges. However, a crucial issue is the potential for pollution resulting from these systems, which directly and indirectly impacts public health and the overall quality of urban living. This study comprehensively reviews the interconnected challenges of the water-energy-food (WEF) nexus and various forms of pollution in cities. The primary focus of this review article is to showcase the findings of WEF nexus studies regarding various pollutions across different geographical regions and spatial scales. It aims to examine the problems resulting from these pollutions, specifically their effects on human health and urban life. It also delves into the sources of pollution as identified in these studies. Furthermore, the article will highlight the proposed solutions from the research aimed at effectively mitigating pollution in each sector studied. This article is a systematic review which analyses research sources from the Scopus database. It extensively reviewed 2463 peer-reviewed published articles and focused explicitly on articles related to the WEF nexus that discussed pollution. Our study emphasizes, firstly, raising awareness about the crucial link between the WEF nexus, pollution, urban environments, and human health among policymakers and key stakeholders, including urban planners, industry partners and municipalities. This is to promote the development of policies that encourage sustainable practices and key stakeholders. Secondly, it evaluates WEF nexus and pollution research methods and findings, aiding in identifying research gaps technological innovation and potential, as well as enhancing decision-making. Lastly, it outlines future research challenges, providing a roadmap for researchers and policymakers to advance understanding in this domain and identify opportunities for resource efficiency and collaboration between different sectors.

Research landscape of energy transition and green finance: A bibliometric analysis

This study utilizes bibliometric analysis to examine historical and present research patterns in the area of energy transition and green finance and to forecast potential future domains. Using the bibliometric method, 328 scholarly articles from the Web of Science database were evaluated. This paper identifies influential publications, maps the research landscape, and forecasts emerging tendencies through co-citation and co-word analyses. Co-citation analysis found three main clusters, while co-word analysis revealed four main clusters. Despite the growing significance of research on energy transition and green finance research, further in-depth investigation is necessary to offer a thorough depiction of the research domain. This research represents a pioneering endeavour in the utilization of bibliometric analysis to investigate the interrelationship between two items. It offers valuable insights into the rapidly expanding field of energy transition and green finance, effectively highlighting its contours and indicating potential future developments.

The key to sustainability: In-depth investigation of environmental quality in G20 countries through the lens of renewable energy, economic complexity and geopolitical risk resilience

The world is currently facing urgent climate and environmental issues, such as global warming, ecosystem collapse, and energy shortages. In this context, this study selected data from 2000 to 2021 and employed the Method of Moment Quantile Regression (MMQR) to thoroughly investigate the impact of renewable energy consumption, economic complexity, and geopolitical risks on the ecological footprint of the Group of Twenty (G20) countries. The results indicate that in countries with lower quantiles, renewable energy consumption significantly reduces the ecological footprint, whereas its effect is not prominent in countries with higher quantiles. Economic complexity has a negative impact on the ecological footprint, and this impact becomes stronger as the quantile of the ecological footprint rises. Additionally, economic complexity moderates the effect of renewable energy on the ecological footprint. Geopolitical risks facilitate the growth of the ecological footprint. Likewise, robustness tests such as DOLS, FMOLS, and quantile regression confirm these estimates in the same framework. This study has conducted a profound analysis of global environmental issues, offering innovative perspectives and recommendations for achieving goals related to sustainable energy utilization, mitigating climate change, and improving the ecological environment. The findings of this research will guide policymakers in G20 countries to adopt more effective environmental protection measures, thereby contributing to the construction of a sustainable future.

The impact of green finance policy on green innovation performance: Evidence from Chinese heavily polluting enterprises

Green innovation (GI) is increasingly recognised as an effective strategy for tackling climate change, mitigating environmental issues, and promoting sustainable development. Using panel data of the Chinese listed firms from 2007 to 2019, this study adopts the difference-in-differences approach to assess the impact of the green finance policy (GFP) initiated by the Chinese government in 2012 on the green innovation performance of firms. The findings reveal that the GFP significantly boosts the green innovation performance of heavily polluting enterprises (HPEs). Notably, this effect is more pronounced in state-owned enterprises and firms with high dependence on external finance. Compared with penalty-based regulations, incentive-based and voluntary environmental regulations demonstrate more significant moderating effects on the relationship between the GFP and green innovation performance for HPEs. We also identify improved efficiency in the usage of green investments as a potential mechanism through which the GFP enhances the green innovation performance of HPEs. Further comparative analysis shows that green enterprises can achieve simultaneous improvement in both the quality and quantity of green innovation, whereas HPEs predominantly exhibit enhancements in innovation quantity. To maximise the GFP's positive effects, it is recommended to facilitate more targeted bank lending towards HPEs to support their structural transformation. Additionally, the coordinated deployment of diverse environmental policy instruments is advised to exploit their synergistic effects.

Unraveling the environmental Kuznets curve: interplay between [Formula: see text] emissions, economic development, and energy consumption

The study investigates the complex interplay among [Formula: see text] emissions, energy consumption, and economic growth in China, employing the Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) framework to analyze the dynamics from 1990 to 2022. The research contributes to the urgent need for sustainable development by filling important gaps in comprehending China's specific challenges and potential and considering the relationship between economic advancement and environmental quality. This study utilizes advanced econometric tools, including the AutoRegressive Distributed Lag model, Vector Error Correction Model, and AutoRegressive Integrated Moving Average, to comprehensively examine the complicated relationship between variables, considering both short-run and long-run dynamics. The study supports the EKC concept, suggesting that targeted measures can reduce environmental degradation as China's economy advances. Strategic policy recommendations include emission reduction targets, investments in green technologies, and promoting sustainable consumption patterns. Furthermore, transitioning from fossil fuels to cleaner energy aligns with global climate objectives. This research provides valuable insights for policymakers, emphasizing the interconnected nature of energy consumption, [Formula: see text] emissions, and economic growth in shaping China's sustainable future.

Comparing the EU and Chinese carbon trading market operations and their spillover effects

A carbon trading market (CTM) policy for trading carbon dioxide emission rights as a commodity was created to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. CTMs operate differently in different countries and regions, and their interactions deserve an in-depth study. This study focused on the world's largest CTM, the European Union (EU), and the CTM of China, largest carbon-emitting country. First, we evaluate the liquidity and volatility of the two CTMs. Subsequently, the VAR model is used to explore the mean spillover effect between the two markets and the BEKK-GARCH model is used to explore the volatility spillover effect between the two markets. The study concludes that: (1) The liquidity of China's CTM is better than that of the EU's CTM. (2) Both the EU and Chinese CTMs are unstable, but the volatility of the Chinese CTM is lower than that of the EU CTM. (3) Price changes in the EU and Hubei CTMs have a mutual influence. (4) There are interactions between the market fluctuations of the EU CTM and the Shanghai CTM and those of the EU CTM and the Hubei CTM. The results of this study have implications for the construction and development of CTMs in the EU and China.

From brown to green: are Asian economies on the right path? Assessing the role of green innovations and geopolitical risk on environmental quality

Preserving the sustainability of the natural environment has emerged as a critical focus on policy agendas worldwide. Therefore, this study examines the relationship between environmental quality and key determinants, focusing on geopolitical risk (GPR), green innovations (GI), economic growth, FDI, renewable energy consumption, and urbanization. Dataset is used for the time period of 1990-2020 across selected Asian economies including China, India, Japan, Malaysia, and South Korea. Using load capacity factor (LCF) as a comprehensive proxy for environmental quality, the research utilizes panel quantile regression (QR) to provide empirical outcomes. Results of panel QR method reveal a negative impact of economic growth and GPR on LCF. On the other hand, green innovation, FDI, and renewable energy are found as supportive factors to boost environmental quality. In addition, urbanization also shows positive linkage with LCF. The application of Fully Modified Ordinary Least Squares (FMOLS) and Dynamic Ordinary Least Squares (DOLS) further validates the robustness of the findings. Adoption of green innovations, practicing sustainable growth patterns, transition toward cleaner energy practices, and integrated urban planning are advocated to enhance environmental quality among Asian nations. Based on empirical findings study suggests comprehensive policy measures that can help in achieving sustainable development goals (SDGs) including SDG-7 (energy efficiency), SDG-8 (sustainable economic growth), SDG-11 (sustainable cities), and SDG-13 (climate action) among Asian countries.

The responsiveness of renewable energy production to geopolitical risks, oil market instability and economic policy uncertainty: Evidence from United States

This paper aims to investigate the responsiveness of renewable energy production (REP) to fluctuations in geopolitical risks, oil prices and economic policy uncertainty (EPU). It applies a cross-quantilogram framework to examine monthly data of the US economy for the period of 1986-2022. The findings illustrate the asymmetric effect of historical geopolitical risk (GPRH) on REP under long memory. The findings also hold after different subcategories of GPRH, including geopolitical threats and geopolitical acts, are considered. A positive shock in GPRH has the most decisive positive impact on REP when the policies are driven by both energy security and environmental commitments. A positive shock in GPRH can negatively impact REP when policies are driven by energy security causes only. EPU exerts strong negative effects on REP in bearish and bullish states of the market under medium and long memory across different measures of EPU. Dynamic connectedness analysis applying TVP-VAR method between pairwise variables indicates that net REP is a volatility receiver to the changes in GPRH, its subcomponents, oil prices and different measures of EPU.

Challenges to environmental governance arising from the Russo-Ukrainian conflict: Evidence from carbon emissions

The destruction of ecosystems, increase in carbon emissions, and volatility of energy prices following the outbreak of the Russo-Ukrainian conflict constitute a complex situation that environmental managers must cope with. In response, this study aims to explore the impact of the Russo-Ukrainian conflict on carbon emissions in the European Union (EU) and associated heterogeneity factors. This study utilized stacked data from 2021 to 2022 on daily carbon emissions and used the differences-in-differences (DID) model as its methodological framework. This study also provides additional analyses for the United States (US), the United Kingdom (UK), and Russia. The full-blown Russo-Ukrainian conflict led to a significant increase in carbon emissions in the EU, averaging 0.092 MtCO2. Further investigations showed that the conflict led to a significant increase in energy prices and that changes in the prices of different energy sources had a heterogeneous effect on carbon emissions. Specifically, an increase in natural gas prices drove a rise in carbon emissions, whereas an increase in oil prices led to a decrease in carbon emissions in the EU. Third, the conflict also affected countries outside the EU, including the US and the UK, which experienced significant increases in carbon emissions in contrast to Russia, which underwent a decline. Finally, the study identified four sectors - international aviation, industry, power, and residential - as the primary contributors to elevated carbon emissions in the EU. This study provides a novel perspective for exploring the interplay between conflicts and carbon emissions and offers valuable insights into shaping effective environmental management policies and measures.

The relationship between entrepreneurial energy efficiency orientation and carbon footprint reduction: The mediating role of green networking and identification of barriers to green practices

Motivated by the growing attention to climate change and the crucial role businesses could play in reducing greenhouse gas emissions, this study investigates entrepreneurial energy efficiency orientation in the context of carbon footprint reduction initiatives of small-and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). We enhance understanding of the climate change action of SMEs by taking into account the mediating mechanisms (i.e., identification of green barriers and green networking) through which firm entrepreneurial energy efficiency orientation leads to superior carbon footprint reduction initiatives by overcoming barriers to green practices. A survey of 252 SME owners and top managers in the Tees Valley region, Northeast England, supported the direct impact of entrepreneurial energy efficiency orientation on overcoming barriers to green practices and the mediating role of identification of green barriers and green networking in this focal relationship. These findings reveal the importance of entrepreneurial energy efficiency orientation, identification of green barriers and green networking in helping SMEs overcome barriers to green practices and improving carbon footprint reduction initiatives.

Linking energy crises and solar energy in China: a roadmap towards environmental sustainability

Fossil fuels are the primary energy sources of China, which are not only expensive but have adverse environmental impacts. To cope with this situation, the Chinese government wants to fulfil 25% of its energy consumption by non-fossil fuels by 2030. In this perspective, we selected the solar sources of the country and collected solar irradiation data for one year in the six big cities of China in 2022. For the analysis of data and assessing the effectiveness of photovoltaic (PV), RETScreen and MATLAB were utilized. A further step was taken by performing the life cycle assessment (LCA) to scrutinize the different features of solar energy, including fuel consumption, price, average lifetime, maintenance and operation expenses, land requirements, and greenhouse gas emissions. Results reveal that all these cities have enormous solar power potential. However, the highest solar power (0.27 kW) is generated in Nanchang city, while the lowest power (0.21 kW) is generated in Sanya city. Solar energy is durable and has a good average lifespan but can be costly, as PV panels lose efficiency due to dust and pollution. The regular cleaning of PV panels, in turn, demands substantial cost. Based on research results, significant policy suggestions have been recommended to fulfil the country's energy demand on its way to a future of sustainable development.

Do the effects of aggregate and disaggregate energy consumption on different environmental quality indicators change in the transition to sustainable development? Evidence from wavelet coherence analysis

In the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, adopted by the United Nations (UN) member states in 2015, half of the target period has been exceeded. However, China, whose energy consumption relies heavily on fossil resources, remains at the top of the list of global polluters. Therefore, investigating the environmental impacts of energy types is essential to China's path towards Sustainable Development Goals (SDG)-7 and SDG-13. Based on this motivation, the paper offers new insights into the energy-environment literature for China with wavelet coherence analysis (WCA). This approach can investigate the relationship between variables in a periodic manner based on the frequency behavior of the models. The paper separately analyzes the effects of primary energy consumption (PEC), fossil energy consumption (FEC), renewable energy consumption (REC), nuclear energy consumption (NEC), GDP, and population (POP) on three different environmental indicators in China. Using two environmental pollution indicators (carbon emission (CO2) and ecological footprint (EF)) and one environmental quality indicator (load capacity factor (LCF)), the paper allows for comparison and robustness checks on the environmental impacts of energy indicators. Empirical findings reveal the following: (i) Except for REC and POP in the CO2 model, the variables in all three models largely move together during the period under observation; (ii) variables other than POP have consistent coefficient signs; (iii) PEC, FEC, NEC, and GDP increase CO2 and EF while decreasing LCF; (iv) the effect of NEC on LCF is more obvious until 2000; (v) unlike the others, REC affects CO2 and EF negatively and LCF positively; (vi) there is bidirectional causality between PEC and environmental indicators but not for REC; (vii) the causality relations of other variables with environmental indicators differ in terms of model, time, and direction of causality. In light of the findings, the paper highlights that only the REC improves environmental quality in China. Other energy indicators contribute to environmental degradation. China, whose ecological deficit has increased dramatically in recent years, urgently needs to reduce its dependence on fossil energy sources by accelerating investments in REC. Governments should also review nuclear energy policies, which are expected to help achieve carbon neutrality.