IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/juipol/v95y2025ics0957178725000591.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Energy resource productivity and environmental quality: A quantile-on-quantile study of Latin America from 1990 to 2022

Author

Listed:
  • Soto, Gonzalo H.
  • Zambrano-Monserrate, Manuel A.
  • Pilatin, Abdulmuttalip
  • Martinez-Cobas, Xavier

Abstract

In this research, we explore how renewable and fossil energy resource productivity impacted environmental quality in Latin American countries from 1990 to 2022, using quantiles for analysis. Our study reveals that renewable energy productivity (RENprod) has a stronger effect in countries with a smaller ecological footprint, diminishing in impact as the footprint grows. Conversely, fossil energy productivity (FENprod) shows an opposite trend. Overall, energy productivity is more likely to benefit environmentally friendly outcomes in countries with smaller footprints at lower quantiles. However, when considering the environmental condition based on the load capacity factor (LCF), which reflects the balance between natural resource supply and consumption, RENprod and FENprod contribute to environmental harm, with renewable energy causing significantly less harm. Consequently, we suggest policy measures to encourage renewable energy supply in sectors such as industries that support economic growth. These policies aim to facilitate a shift toward greener societies with lower environmental impact in the short term, thereby mitigating harmful environmental processes.

Suggested Citation

  • Soto, Gonzalo H. & Zambrano-Monserrate, Manuel A. & Pilatin, Abdulmuttalip & Martinez-Cobas, Xavier, 2025. "Energy resource productivity and environmental quality: A quantile-on-quantile study of Latin America from 1990 to 2022," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 95(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:juipol:v:95:y:2025:i:c:s0957178725000591
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jup.2025.101944
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0957178725000591
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.jup.2025.101944?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to

    for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Tayyab Ayaz, Muhammad & Prodromou, Tina & Le, Thanh & Nepal, Rabindra, 2024. "Energy security dimensions and economic growth in Non-OECD Asia: An analysis on the role of institutional quality with energy policy implications," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 188(C).
    2. Zhang, Zhuo & Zhao, Yongliang & Cai, Haiya & Ajaz, Tahseen, 2023. "Influence of renewable energy infrastructure, Chinese outward FDI, and technical efficiency on ecological sustainability in belt and road node economies," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 205(C), pages 608-616.
    3. Robert M. Solow, 1956. "A Contribution to the Theory of Economic Growth," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 70(1), pages 65-94.
    4. Guarini, Giulio & da Costa Oreiro, José Luis, 2023. "Ecological transition and structural change: A new-developmentalist analysis," Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 90(C).
    5. Gene M. Grossman & Alan B. Krueger, 1995. "Economic Growth and the Environment," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 110(2), pages 353-377.
    6. Du, Junhua & Yang, Xiaofei & Long, Dengjie & Xin, Yongrong, 2024. "Modelling the influence of natural resources and social globalization on load capacity factor: New insights from the ASEAN countries," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 91(C).
    7. McCauley, Darren & Pettigrew, Kerry, 2023. "Building a just transition in asia-pacific: Four strategies for reducing fossil fuel dependence and investing in clean energy," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 183(C).
    8. Chen, Keren & Qammar, Rabia & Quddus, Abdul & Lyu, Ning & Alnafrah, Ibrahim, 2024. "Interlinking dynamics of natural resources, financial development, industrialization, and energy intensity: Implications for natural resources policy in emerging seven countries," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 90(C).
    9. Aziz, Ghazala & Sarwar, Suleman, 2023. "Revisit the role of governance indicators to achieve sustainable economic growth of Saudi Arabia – pre and post implementation of 2030 Vision," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 66(C), pages 213-227.
    10. Ma, Fenfen & Saleem, Hummera & Ding, Xueting & Nazir, Sidra & Tariq, Salman, 2024. "Do natural resource rents, green technological innovation, and renewable energy matter for ecological sustainability? Role of green policies in testing the environmental kuznets curve hypothesis," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 91(C).
    11. Regueiro-Ferreira, Rosa María & Alonso-Fernández, Pablo, 2023. "Interaction between renewable energy consumption and dematerialization: Insights based on the material footprint and the Environmental Kuznets Curve," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 266(C).
    12. Roger W. Koenker & Vasco D'Orey, 1987. "Computing Regression Quantiles," Journal of the Royal Statistical Society Series C, Royal Statistical Society, vol. 36(3), pages 383-393, November.
    13. Nguyen, Tran Thai Ha & Tu, Yu-Te & Diep, Gia Luat & Tran, Trung Kien & Tien, Nguyen Hoang & Chien, FengSheng, 2023. "Impact of natural resources extraction and energy consumption on the environmental sustainability in ASEAN countries," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 85(PA).
    14. Ma, Wenxia & Cao, Li & Li, Xiangqian & Zhao, Xing, 2024. "Environmental pollution, green finance, and enterprise growth based on the environmental Kuznets curve perspective," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 64(C).
    15. Arvin, Mak B. & Pradhan, Rudra P. & Nair, Mahendhiran S., 2021. "Are there links between institutional quality, government expenditure, tax revenue and economic growth? Evidence from low-income and lower middle-income countries," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 70(C), pages 468-489.
    16. Kirikkaleli, Dervis, 2023. "Resource efficiency, energy productivity, and environmental quality in Japan," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 85(PB).
    17. Wang, Xiaoling & Zhang, Tianyue & Nathwani, Jatin & Yang, Fangming & Shao, Qinglong, 2022. "Environmental regulation, technology innovation, and low carbon development: Revisiting the EKC Hypothesis, Porter Hypothesis, and Jevons’ Paradox in China's iron & steel industry," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 176(C).
    18. Aydin, Mucahit & Erdem, Azad, 2024. "Analyzing the impact of resource productivity, energy productivity, and renewable energy consumption on environmental quality in EU countries: The moderating role of productivity," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 89(C).
    19. Robert J. Barro, 1998. "Determinants of Economic Growth: A Cross-Country Empirical Study," MIT Press Books, The MIT Press, edition 1, volume 1, number 0262522543, December.
    20. Fan, Min & Zhou, Yun & Lu, Zhixi & Gao, Sen, 2024. "Fintech's impact on green productivity in China: Role of fossil fuel energy structure, environmental regulations, government expenditure, and R&D investment," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 91(C).
    21. Li, Tianyu & Umar, Muhammad & Mirza, Nawazish & Yue, Xiao-Guang, 2023. "Green financing and resources utilization: A story of N-11 economies in the climate change era," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 78(C), pages 1174-1184.
    22. Li, Guangzhong & Fujiyama, Keishi & Wu, Cen & Zheng, Ying, 2024. "Employment protection, corporate governance, and labor productivity around the World," Journal of International Financial Markets, Institutions and Money, Elsevier, vol. 92(C).
    23. Alola, Andrew Adewale, 2024. "Global urbanization and ruralization lessons of clean energy access gap," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 188(C).
    24. Meng, Lingyan & Li, Jinshi, 2024. "Natural resources volatility and geopolitical risk: A novel perspective of oil and mineral rents using quantile-quantile regression for China," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 88(C).
    25. Liang, Shuai & Wang, Peng & Jia, Cunlu & Zhu, Jialan, 2023. "Studying green financing, factor allocation efficiency, and regional productivity growth in renewable energy industries," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 214(C), pages 130-139.
    26. Zheng, Ye & Tarczyński, Waldemar & Jamróz, Paweł & Ali Raza, Syed & Tiwari, Sunil, 2024. "Impacts of mineral resources, economic growth and energy consumption on environmental sustainability: Novel findings from global south region," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 92(C).
    27. Lv, Zhaojiang & Chen, Lan & Ali, Syed Ahtsham & Muda, Iskandar & Alromaihi, Abdullah & Boltayev, Jurabek Yusufovich, 2024. "Financial technologies, green technologies and natural resource nexus with sustainable development goals: Evidence from resource abundant economies using MMQR estimation," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 89(C).
    28. Liu, Shan & Zhong, Chun, 2024. "Green growth: Intellectual property conflicts and prospects in the extraction of natural resources for sustainable development," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 89(C).
    29. Rao, Amar & Kumar, Satish & Gupta, Prashant & Dash, Saumya Ranjan, 2024. "Quantifying the impact of interest rate volatility on Asian energy companies: A comparative study of fossil and renewable sectors," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 133(C).
    30. Luo, Shunjun & Chishti, Muhammad Zubair & Beata, Szetela & Xie, Peijun, 2024. "Digital sparks for a greener future: Unleashing the potential of information and communication technologies in green energy transition," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 221(C).
    31. Voumik, Liton Chandra & Ghosh, Smarnika & Rashid, Mamunur & Das, Mihir Kumar & Esquivias, Miguel Angel & Rojas, Omar, 2024. "The effect of geopolitical risk and green technology on load capacity factors in BRICS," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 88(C).
    32. Mert Akyuz & Ghislain Nono Gueye & Cagin Karul, 2022. "Long-run dynamics between trade liberalization and income inequality in the European Union: a second generation approach," Empirica, Springer;Austrian Institute for Economic Research;Austrian Economic Association, vol. 49(3), pages 769-792, August.
    33. Freire-González, Jaume, 2021. "Governing Jevons’ Paradox: Policies and systemic alternatives to avoid the rebound effect," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, vol. 72.
    34. Yu, Bolin & Fang, Debin & Xiao, Kun & Pan, Yuling, 2023. "Drivers of renewable energy penetration and its role in power sector's deep decarbonization towards carbon peak," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 178(C).
    35. Zhang, Xiaomeng & Wei, Chu, 2024. "Inequality of carbon intensity in the Chinese manufacturing sector: The role of information and communication technology infrastructure," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 68(C), pages 194-203.
    36. Zhao, Jing & Sinha, Avik & Inuwa, Nasiru & Wang, Yihan & Murshed, Muntasir & Abbasi, Kashif Raza, 2022. "Does structural transformation in economy impact inequality in renewable energy productivity? Implications for sustainable development," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 189(C), pages 853-864.
    37. Feng, Nan & Ge, Jiamin, 2024. "How does fiscal policy affect the green low-carbon transition from the perspective of the evolutionary game?," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 134(C).
    38. Guilló, María Dolores & Magalhães, Manuela, 2023. "Land capital and emissions convergence in an extended Green Solow model," Environment and Development Economics, Cambridge University Press, vol. 28(1), pages 25-46, February.
    39. Zhou, Danping & Zhang, Pan & Guo, Junhua, 2024. "Is one plus one greater than two? How Double target incentives stimulate green growth in China," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 70(C), pages 340-350.
    40. Zhou, Xuming & Patel, Gupteswar & Mahalik, Mantu Kumar & Gozgor, Giray, 2024. "Effects of green energy and productivity on environmental sustainability in BRICS economies: The role of natural resources rents," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 92(C).
    41. Zhang, Xiaoqian & Yao, Shujie & Zheng, Weiwei & Fang, Jing, 2023. "On industrial agglomeration and industrial carbon productivity --- impact mechanism and nonlinear relationship," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 283(C).
    42. Rath, Badri Narayan & Akram, Vaseem & Bal, Debi Prasad & Mahalik, Mantu Kumar, 2019. "Do fossil fuel and renewable energy consumption affect total factor productivity growth? Evidence from cross-country data with policy insights," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 127(C), pages 186-199.
    43. Zhou, Xiaomeng & Chen, Huangen & Mirza, Nawazish & Safi, Adnan, 2024. "Greening mineral resources extraction: A pathway to carbon neutrality through energy productivity and institutional reform," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 91(C).
    44. Andrew Adewale Alola & Oktay Özkan & Ojonugwa Usman, 2023. "Role of Non-Renewable Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy in Driving Environmental Sustainability in India: Evidence from the Load Capacity Factor Hypothesis," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(6), pages 1-16, March.
    45. Shehzadi, Anam, 2023. "Energy efficiency and productivity in emerging and developing Asian countries: A firm level analysis," Journal of Asian Economics, Elsevier, vol. 88(C).
    46. Yu, Fan & Zheng, Shilin & Zheng, Shuhong & Guo, Chenhao, 2024. "Does carbon ETS affect the distribution of labor's slice of the factor income pie? From the low carbon transition perspective," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 134(C).
    47. Cansino, José M. & Román-Collado, Rocío & Merchán, José, 2019. "Do Spanish energy efficiency actions trigger JEVON’S paradox?," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 181(C), pages 760-770.
    48. Bhattacharya, Mita & Inekwe, John N. & Sadorsky, Perry, 2020. "Convergence of energy productivity in Australian states and territories: Determinants and forecasts," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 85(C).
    49. Antoci, Angelo & Borghesi, Simone & Galeotti, Marcello & Russu, Paolo, 2022. "Maladaptation to environmental degradation and the interplay between negative and positive externalities," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 143(C).
    50. Fan, Min & Lu, Zhixi & Zhou, Yun & Wang, Jian, 2024. "Threshold and spillovers effects of fintech on China's energy dependence on fossil fuel," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 91(C).
    51. Singh, Mukesh Kumar & Malek, Javed & Sharma, Harish Kumar & Kumar, Rahul, 2024. "Converting the threats of fossil fuel-based energy generation into opportunities for renewable energy development in India," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 224(C).
    52. Ding, Xiuying & Liu, Xuemei, 2023. "Renewable energy development and transportation infrastructure matters for green economic growth? Empirical evidence from China," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 79(C), pages 634-646.
    53. Mariani, Massimo & Caragnano, Alessandra & D'Ercole, Francesco & Frascati, Domenico, 2024. "Carbon intensity and market pricing: An asymmetric valuation," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 93(C).
    54. Husaini, Dzul Hadzwan & Mansor, Shazali Abu & Lean, Hooi Hooi, 2024. "Income inequality, natural resources dependence and renewable energy," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 89(C).
    55. Fedajev, Aleksandra & Mitić, Petar & Kojić, Milena & Radulescu, Magdalena, 2023. "Driving industrial and economic growth in Central and Eastern Europe: The role of electricity infrastructure and renewable energy," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 85(C).
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    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. Soto, Gonzalo H. & Martinez-Cobas, Xavier, 2025. "Does outward foreign direct investment and the green transition affect renewable energy penetration among European Union countries?," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 241(C).
    2. Soto, Gonzalo H & Martinez-Cobas, Xavier, 2024. "Green energy policies and energy poverty in Europe: Assessing low carbon dependency and energy productivity," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 136(C).
    3. Soto, Gonzalo H. & Martinez-Cobas, Xavier, 2025. "Energy poverty and the green energy transition's impact upon income inequality in Latin America," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 72(C), pages 220-232.
    4. Soto, Gonzalo H. & Nghiem, Xuan-Hoa & Martinez-Cobas, Xavier, 2025. "Insufficiency of renewable energy. How do the transition to green energy economies and foreign direct investment affect energy poverty in Europe?," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 320(C).
    5. Liu, Yiming & Hao, Yu & Gao, Yixuan, 2017. "The environmental consequences of domestic and foreign investment: Evidence from China," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 108(C), pages 271-280.
    6. Khan, Zeeshan & Zhu, Xufeng & Chatti, Walid, 2025. "Environmental Poverty from the lens of sustainable development and financial inclusion: Evaluating the importance of energy productivity and clean energy electricity," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 318(C).
    7. Ruttan, Vernon W., 1998. "Growth Economics And Development Economics: What Should Development Economists Learn (If Anything) From The New Growth Theory?," Bulletins 12972, University of Minnesota, Economic Development Center.
    8. Soto, Gonzalo Hernández, 2024. "The role of outward foreign direct investment as a filter for high energy intensity economies in the European Union," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 361(C).
    9. Hernández Soto, Gonzalo, 2024. "The role of foreign direct investment and green technologies in facilitating the transition toward green economies in Latin America," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 288(C).
    10. George Halkos & Iacovos Psarianos, 2016. "Exploring the effect of including the environment in the neoclassical growth model," Environmental Economics and Policy Studies, Springer;Society for Environmental Economics and Policy Studies - SEEPS, vol. 18(3), pages 339-358, July.
    11. Olivier Bruno & Cuong Van & Benoît Masquin, 2009. "When does a developing country use new technologies?," Economic Theory, Springer;Society for the Advancement of Economic Theory (SAET), vol. 40(2), pages 275-300, August.
    12. Kevin S. Nell & A.P. Thirlwall, 2017. "Why does the productivity of investment vary across countries?," PSL Quarterly Review, Economia civile, vol. 70(282), pages 213-245.
    13. Zhou, Xiaoyan & Zhang, Jie & Li, Junpeng, 2013. "Industrial structural transformation and carbon dioxide emissions in China," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 57(C), pages 43-51.
    14. Sushil Kumar Haldar, 2009. "Economic Growth in India Revisited," South Asia Economic Journal, Institute of Policy Studies of Sri Lanka, vol. 10(1), pages 105-126, January.
    15. Matthew Higgins & Daniel Levy & Andrew T. Young, 2003. "Growth and Convergence across the US: Evidence from County-Level Data," Working Papers 2003-03, Bar-Ilan University, Department of Economics.
    16. Måns Söderbom & Francis Teal, 2003. "Openness and human capital as sources of productivity growth: An empirical investigation," CSAE Working Paper Series 2003-06, Centre for the Study of African Economies, University of Oxford.
    17. Soumyananda Dinda, 2018. "Production technology and carbon emission: long-run relation with short-run dynamics," Journal of Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 21(1), pages 106-121, January.
    18. Abdulqadir, Idris A. & Asongu, Simplice A., 2022. "The asymmetric effect of internet access on economic growth in sub-Saharan Africa," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 73(C), pages 44-61.
    19. Edy Yusuf Agung Gunanto & Tri Wahyu & Jaka Aminata & Banatul Hayati, 2021. "Convergence CO2 Emission in ASEAN Countries: Augmented Green Solow Model Approach," International Journal of Energy Economics and Policy, Econjournals, vol. 11(5), pages 572-578.
    20. Zoltán Bartha & Andrea S. Gubik, 2014. "Characteristics Of The Large Corporation-Based, Bureaucratic Model Among Oecd Countries – An Foi Model Analysis," DANUBE: Law and Economics Review, European Association Comenius - EACO, issue 1, pages 1-20, March.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    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:eee:juipol:v:95:y:2025:i:c:s0957178725000591. 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: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/utilities-policy .

    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.