The dynamic effect of income distribution, natural resources, and freedom of press on ecological footprint: Theory and empirical evidence for emerging economies

The global concern about environmental issues makes identifying the root causes of these problems a priority and popular agenda. Although the impressions of many factors on the ecological footprint have been examined in the previous literature, income inequality and natural resources have not received sufficient attention. Moreover, while the number of new studies investigating the influence of different political factors on the environment has increased recently, freedom of the press and ecological footprint have yet to be linked. All these gaps in the literature raise a critical research question that needs to be answered: Do income inequality, natural resources, and freedom of the press affect the ecological footprint? This study tries to answer this question for the period 1993–2017 in E7 countries. According to the study's key findings, while the abundance of natural resources and freedom of the press reduce the ecological footprint, economic growth and energy consumption enhance the ecological pressure. While the coefficient of inequality on the ecological footprint is positive, it is not statistically significant. Within the framework of these findings, the abundance of natural resources and freedom of the press can solve environmental problems in E7 countries. At the same time, economic growth and energy portfolio are pressure factors on the environment. In this context, enhancing freedoms and promoting renewable energy is highly strategic for reducing ecological pressure.