Budgeting for a greener future: Asymmetric nexus between nuclear energy technology budgets and CO2 emissions

Optimizing nuclear energy technology budgets holds the key to fostering a cleaner environment for future generations. By allocating resources strategically, we can mitigate pollution, preserve ecosystems, and propel sustainable development, ushering in an era of unparalleled environmental quality and harmony. This research probes the asymmetric influence of nuclear energy R&D budgets on CO2 emissions in top-10 economies containing the highest nuclear energy R&D budget (the USA, South Korea, Russia, China, France, Japan, Canada, the UK, Germany, and India). Earlier studies used panel data methods for the interaction between nuclear energy technology and CO2 emissions, even though some nations did not establish this linkage autonomously. Conversely, this investigation employs a distinctive tool, ‘Quantile-on-Quantile,’ that permits the time-series reliance in each nation by granting globally yet nation-specific views into the association between the variables. At specific quantiles of the data distribution, the estimates manifest that nuclear energy budget allocations reduce CO2 emissions in most economies analyzed. The results suggest prioritizing heightened investments in nuclear energy R&D to accelerate the advancement of safer and more efficient nuclear technologies, consequently mitigating CO2 emissions.