IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v13y2021i5p2636-d508547.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Carbon-Free Energy and Sustainable Environment: The Role of Human Capital and Technological Revolutions in Attaining SDGs

Author

Listed:
  • Hebin Shen

    (School of International Business, Southwestern University of Finance and Economics, Chengdu 611130, China)

  • Syed Ahtsham Ali

    (Business School, Shanghai Jian Qiao University, Shanghai 201306, China)

  • Majed Alharthi

    (Finance Department, College of Business, King Abdulaziz University, P.O. BOX. 344, Rabigh 21911, Saudi Arabia)

  • Ali Shan Shah

    (Department of Political Science & IR, Government College University Faisalabad, Punjab 38000, Pakistan)

  • Abdul Basit Khan

    (Department of Political Science & IR, Government College University Faisalabad, Punjab 38000, Pakistan)

  • Qaiser Abbas

    (Department of Economics, Ghazi University, DG. Khan, Punjab 38000, Pakistan)

  • Saeed ur Rahman

    (Department of Economics, Ghazi University, DG. Khan, Punjab 38000, Pakistan)

Abstract

During the time before the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) are achieved, the international community has set goals to improve people’s lives worldwide. This is in line with the United Nations’ 2030 ambitions to strengthen and advance human society’s sustainable development. Goal number 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy), goal number 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure), and goal number 13 (Climate Action) are highly correlated to each other. The current study investigates the role of human capital and technological innovation in achieving sustainable development goals (SDGs) through a carbon-free energy system. A 19-year dataset covering the years 2000−2018 for the G7 economies has been utilized by using the composite index, Multi-criteria decision analysis, and Quantile Autoregressive Distributed Lag (QARDL) methods. The study’s outcomes indicate that the human capital index and technological innovations contribute positively to SDGs in G7 economies. Both indicators also contribute positively to the carbon-free economy by contributing to carbon-free energy sources. The financial index and energy index results also indicate a positive association with the carbon-free economy in G7 nations. This study suggests policy guidelines for developed as well as for developing economies based on human capital and technological innovation to fulfill the SDGs.

Suggested Citation

  • Hebin Shen & Syed Ahtsham Ali & Majed Alharthi & Ali Shan Shah & Abdul Basit Khan & Qaiser Abbas & Saeed ur Rahman, 2021. "Carbon-Free Energy and Sustainable Environment: The Role of Human Capital and Technological Revolutions in Attaining SDGs," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(5), pages 1-17, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:5:p:2636-:d:508547
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/13/5/2636/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/13/5/2636/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Cho, Jin Seo & Kim, Tae-hwan & Shin, Yongcheol, 2015. "Quantile cointegration in the autoregressive distributed-lag modeling framework," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 188(1), pages 281-300.
    2. Ingrao, Carlo & Rana, Roberto & Tricase, Caterina & Lombardi, Mariarosaria, 2015. "Application of Carbon Footprint to an agro-biogas supply chain in Southern Italy," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 149(C), pages 75-88.
    3. Stamatios Ntanos & Michalis Skordoulis & Grigorios Kyriakopoulos & Garyfallos Arabatzis & Miltiadis Chalikias & Spyros Galatsidas & Athanasios Batzios & Apostolia Katsarou, 2018. "Renewable Energy and Economic Growth: Evidence from European Countries," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(8), pages 1-13, July.
    4. Hatefi, S.M. & Torabi, S.A., 2010. "A common weight MCDA-DEA approach to construct composite indicators," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 70(1), pages 114-120, November.
    5. Robert J. Johnston & Elena Y. Besedin & Benedict M. Holland, 2019. "Modeling Distance Decay Within Valuation Meta-Analysis," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 72(3), pages 657-690, March.
    6. Gault, Fred, 2018. "Defining and measuring innovation in all sectors of the economy," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 47(3), pages 617-622.
    7. Guido Marseglia & Blanca Fernandez Vasquez-Pena & Carlo Maria Medaglia & Ricardo Chacartegui, 2020. "Alternative Fuels for Combined Cycle Power Plants: An Analysis of Options for a Location in India," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(8), pages 1-25, April.
    8. Bennion, Edward P. & Ginosar, Daniel M. & Moses, John & Agblevor, Foster & Quinn, Jason C., 2015. "Lifecycle assessment of microalgae to biofuel: Comparison of thermochemical processing pathways," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 154(C), pages 1062-1071.
    9. Omri, Anis, 2014. "An international literature survey on energy-economic growth nexus: Evidence from country-specific studies," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 38(C), pages 951-959.
    10. Masatoshi Kato, 2020. "Founders’ human capital and external knowledge sourcing: Exploring the absorptive capacity of start-up firms," Economics of Innovation and New Technology, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 29(2), pages 184-205, February.
    11. Ozturk, Ilhan, 2010. "A literature survey on energy-growth nexus," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 38(1), pages 340-349, January.
    12. Liping Liao & Minzhe Du & Bing Wang & Yanni Yu, 2019. "The Impact of Educational Investment on Sustainable Economic Growth in Guangdong, China: A Cointegration and Causality Analysis," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(3), pages 1-16, February.
    13. Apergis, Nicholas & Payne, James E., 2010. "Coal consumption and economic growth: Evidence from a panel of OECD countries," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 38(3), pages 1353-1359, March.
    14. Giuseppe Munda & Michela Nardo, 2009. "Noncompensatory/nonlinear composite indicators for ranking countries: a defensible setting," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 41(12), pages 1513-1523.
    15. Apergis, Nicholas & Payne, James E., 2010. "Renewable energy consumption and economic growth: Evidence from a panel of OECD countries," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 38(1), pages 656-660, January.
    16. Ernest Reig‐Martínez & José A. Gómez‐Limón & Andrés J. Picazo‐Tadeo, 2011. "Ranking farms with a composite indicator of sustainability," Agricultural Economics, International Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 42(5), pages 561-575, September.
    17. Roy, Poritosh & Dias, Goretty, 2017. "Prospects for pyrolysis technologies in the bioenergy sector: A review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 77(C), pages 59-69.
    18. Cook, Adam & Ehrlich, Isaac, 2018. "Was Higher Education a Major Channel through which the United States Became an Economic Superpower in the 20th Century?," ADBI Working Papers 820, Asian Development Bank Institute.
    19. Adam Cook & Isaac Ehrlich, 2018. "Was higher education a major channel through which the US became an economic superpower in the 20th century?," Journal of the Asia Pacific Economy, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 23(4), pages 515-553, October.
    20. Schot, Johan & Steinmueller, W. Edward, 2018. "Three frames for innovation policy: R&D, systems of innovation and transformative change," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 47(9), pages 1554-1567.
    21. Ma, Xuejiao & Wang, Yong & Wang, Chen, 2017. "Low-carbon development of China's thermal power industry based on an international comparison: Review, analysis and forecast," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 80(C), pages 942-970.
    22. Pedro M. G. Martins, 2019. "Structural change: Pace, patterns and determinants," Review of Development Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 23(1), pages 1-32, February.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Yeguan Yu, 2023. "The Impact of Financial System on Carbon Intensity: From the Perspective of Digitalization," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(2), pages 1-22, January.
    2. Francisco Sánchez-Cubo & José Mondéjar-Jiménez & Alejandro García-Pozo & Guillermo Ceballos-Santamaría, 2021. "A Study of the Wages in the Spanish Energy Sector," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(13), pages 1-10, July.
    3. Matteo Trane & Luisa Marelli & Alice Siragusa & Riccardo Pollo & Patrizia Lombardi, 2023. "Progress by Research to Achieve the Sustainable Development Goals in the EU: A Systematic Literature Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(9), pages 1-37, April.
    4. Fu Hua & Majed Alharthi & Weihua Yin & Muhammad Saeed & Ishtiaq Ahmad & Syed Ahtsham Ali, 2022. "Carbon Emissions and Socioeconomic Drivers of Climate Change: Empirical Evidence from the Logarithmic Mean Divisia Index (LMDI) Base Model for China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(4), pages 1-12, February.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Ismael Pérez-Franco & Agustín García-García & Juan J. Maldonado-Briegas, 2020. "Energy Transition Towards a Greener and More Competitive Economy: The Iberian Case," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(8), pages 1-14, April.
    2. Marques, António Cardoso & Fuinhas, José Alberto & Neves, Sónia Almeida, 2018. "Ordinary and Special Regimes of electricity generation in Spain: How they interact with economic activity," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 81(P1), pages 1226-1240.
    3. Bilgili, Faik & Koçak, Emrah & Bulut, Ümit & Kuşkaya, Sevda, 2017. "Can biomass energy be an efficient policy tool for sustainable development?," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 71(C), pages 830-845.
    4. Marius-Corneliu Marinaș & Marin Dinu & Aura-Gabriela Socol & Cristian Socol, 2018. "Renewable energy consumption and economic growth. Causality relationship in Central and Eastern European countries," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 13(10), pages 1-29, October.
    5. Tiba, Sofien & Omri, Anis, 2017. "Literature survey on the relationships between energy, environment and economic growth," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 69(C), pages 1129-1146.
    6. Omri, Anis & Ben Mabrouk, Nejah & Sassi-Tmar, Amel, 2015. "Modeling the causal linkages between nuclear energy, renewable energy and economic growth in developed and developing countries," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 42(C), pages 1012-1022.
    7. Abdullah Emre ÇAĞLAR & Çiğdem DEMİR, 2018. "Yenilenebilir Kaynaklı Enerji Tüketimi ve Ekonomik Büyüme İlişkisi: Avrupa Birliğine Ait Yeni Bulgular," EKOIST Journal of Econometrics and Statistics, Istanbul University, Faculty of Economics, vol. 14(28), pages 9-30, December.
    8. Bilgili, Faik & Kuşkaya, Sevda & Toğuç, Nurhan & Muğaloğlu, Erhan & Koçak, Emrah & Bulut, Ümit & Bağlıtaş, H. Hilal, 2019. "A revisited renewable consumption-growth nexus: A continuous wavelet approach through disaggregated data," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 107(C), pages 1-19.
    9. Shahbaz, Muhammad & Benkraiem, Ramzi & Miloudi, Anthony & Lahiani, Amine, 2017. "Production function with electricity consumption and policy implications in Portugal," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 110(C), pages 588-599.
    10. Adewuyi, Adeolu O. & Awodumi, Olabanji B., 2017. "Renewable and non-renewable energy-growth-emissions linkages: Review of emerging trends with policy implications," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 69(C), pages 275-291.
    11. Bilgili, Faik, 2015. "Business cycle co-movements between renewables consumption and industrial production: A continuous wavelet coherence approach," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 52(C), pages 325-332.
    12. Rafael Ninno Muniz & Stéfano Frizzo Stefenon & William Gouvêa Buratto & Ademir Nied & Luiz Henrique Meyer & Erlon Cristian Finardi & Ricardo Marino Kühl & José Alberto Silva de Sá & Brigida Ramati Per, 2020. "Tools for Measuring Energy Sustainability: A Comparative Review," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(9), pages 1-27, May.
    13. Adewuyi, Adeolu O. & Awodumi, Olabanji B., 2017. "Biomass energy consumption, economic growth and carbon emissions: Fresh evidence from West Africa using a simultaneous equation model," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 119(C), pages 453-471.
    14. Walheer, Barnabé, 2018. "Labour productivity growth and energy in Europe: A production-frontier approach," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 152(C), pages 129-143.
    15. Liddle, Brantley, 2013. "Population, Affluence, and Environmental Impact Across Development: Evidence from Panel Cointegration Modeling," MPRA Paper 52088, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    16. Apergis, Nicholas & Payne, James E., 2011. "The renewable energy consumption-growth nexus in Central America," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 88(1), pages 343-347, January.
    17. Pao, Hsiao-Tien & Fu, Hsin-Chia, 2013. "The causal relationship between energy resources and economic growth in Brazil," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 61(C), pages 793-801.
    18. Hamit-Haggar, Mahamat, 2012. "Greenhouse gas emissions, energy consumption and economic growth: A panel cointegration analysis from Canadian industrial sector perspective," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 34(1), pages 358-364.
    19. Daniela Nicoleta Sahlian & Adriana Florina Popa & Raluca Florentina Creţu, 2021. "Does the Increase in Renewable Energy Influence GDP Growth? An EU-28 Analysis," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(16), pages 1-16, August.
    20. Jos Alberto Fuinhas & Ant nio Cardoso Marques & Alcino Pinto Couto, 2015. "Oil-Growth Nexus in Oil Producing Countries: Macro Panel Evidence," International Journal of Energy Economics and Policy, Econjournals, vol. 5(1), pages 148-163.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:5:p:2636-:d:508547. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.