IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/riibaf/v73y2025ipbs0275531924004392.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Sustainable development goals and environmental performance: Exploring the contribution of governance, energy, and growth

Author

Listed:
  • Naseer, Mirza Muhammad
  • Hunjra, Ahmed Imran
  • Palma, Alessia
  • Bagh, Tanveer

Abstract

This study investigates the impact of renewable and non-renewable energy consumption, governance quality, and economic growth on environmental sustainability across frontier, emerging, and developed economies from 2001 to 2021. The Environmental Performance Index (EPI) and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are environmental sustainability measures. The study addresses potential endogeneity issues through advanced econometric techniques and explores the differential impacts of energy sources, governance structures, and economic factors on environmental performance. The findings reveal significant variations in how these factors influence environmental sustainability across frontier, emerging, and developed economies. The results demonstrate a positive relationship between renewable energy consumption and governance quality with environmental sustainability, while non-renewable energy consumption exhibits a negative association. Economic growth emerges as a crucial factor influencing both environmental performance and the advancement of SDGs. This research contributes to the expanding literature on environmental sustainability by presenting a comprehensive analysis of its determinants across different economic contexts. The findings provide valuable insights for policymakers, underscoring the importance of tailored approaches to energy policy, governance reforms, and economic development strategies in the pursuit of environmental sustainability goals.

Suggested Citation

  • Naseer, Mirza Muhammad & Hunjra, Ahmed Imran & Palma, Alessia & Bagh, Tanveer, 2025. "Sustainable development goals and environmental performance: Exploring the contribution of governance, energy, and growth," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 73(PB).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:riibaf:v:73:y:2025:i:pb:s0275531924004392
    DOI: 10.1016/j.ribaf.2024.102646
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0275531924004392
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.ribaf.2024.102646?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 search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Hunjra, Ahmed Imran & Azam, Muhammad & Bruna, Maria Giuseppina & Verhoeven, Peter & Al-Faryan, Mamdouh Abdulaziz Saleh, 2022. "Sustainable development: The impact of political risk, macroeconomic policy uncertainty and ethnic conflict," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 84(C).
    2. Hoch, Stephen J & Loewenstein, George F, 1991. "Time-Inconsistent Preferences and Consumer Self-Control," Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Consumer Research Inc., vol. 17(4), pages 492-507, March.
    3. Azam, Anam & Ateeq, Muhammad & Shafique, Muhammad & Rafiq, Muhammad & Yuan, Jiahai, 2023. "Primary energy consumption-growth nexus: The role of natural resources, quality of government, and fixed capital formation," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 263(PA).
    4. La Torre, Mario & Leo, Sabrina & Palma, Alessia & Zapata, Jenny Daniela Salazar, 2024. "Public spending and green finance: A systematic literature review," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 68(C).
    5. Stephen Morse, 2018. "Relating Environmental Performance of Nation States to Income and Income Inequality," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 26(1), pages 99-115, January.
    6. Paulina Oliva, 2015. "Environmental Regulations and Corruption: Automobile Emissions in Mexico City," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 123(3), pages 686-724.
    7. Ahlerup, Pelle & Baskaran, Thushyanthan & Bigsten, Arne, 2016. "Government Impartiality and Sustained Growth in Sub-Saharan Africa," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 83(C), pages 54-69.
    8. Sharif, Arshian & Baris-Tuzemen, Ozge & Uzuner, Gizem & Ozturk, Ilhan & Sinha, Avik, 2020. "Revisiting the role of renewable and non-renewable energy consumption on Turkey’s ecological footprint: Evidence from Quantile ARDL approach," MPRA Paper 100044, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    9. Belke, Ansgar & Dobnik, Frauke & Dreger, Christian, 2011. "Energy consumption and economic growth: New insights into the cointegration relationship," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 33(5), pages 782-789, September.
    10. Chen, Jiandong & Xu, Chong & Shahbaz, Muhammad & Song, Malin, 2021. "Interaction determinants and projections of China’s energy consumption: 1997–2030," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 283(C).
    11. Almeida Prado, Fernando & Athayde, Simone & Mossa, Joann & Bohlman, Stephanie & Leite, Flavia & Oliver-Smith, Anthony, 2016. "How much is enough? An integrated examination of energy security, economic growth and climate change related to hydropower expansion in Brazil," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 53(C), pages 1132-1136.
    12. Khan, Muhammad Arif & Khan, Ashraf & Hassan, M. Kabir & Maraghini, Maria Pia, 2024. "Market response to environmental social and governance performance: A global analysis," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 67(PA).
    13. Welsch, Heinz, 2004. "Corruption, growth, and the environment: a cross-country analysis," Environment and Development Economics, Cambridge University Press, vol. 9(5), pages 663-693, October.
    14. Cole, Matthew A., 2007. "Corruption, income and the environment: An empirical analysis," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 62(3-4), pages 637-647, May.
    15. Destek, Mehmet & Sinha, Avik, 2020. "Renewable, non-renewable energy consumption, economic growth, trade openness and ecological footprint: Evidence from organisation for economic Co-operation and development countries," MPRA Paper 104246, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 2020.
    16. Trinh, Vu Quang & Nguyen, Anh Thi Quynh & Vo, Xuan Vinh, 2022. "Export quality upgrading and environmental sustainability: Evidence from the East Asia and Pacific Region," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 60(C).
    17. Ilhan Ozturk & Muhittin Kaplan & Huseyin Kalyoncu, 2013. "The Causal Relationship between Energy Consumption and GDP in Turkey," Energy & Environment, , vol. 24(5), pages 727-734, September.
    18. Kroll, Christian & Zipperer, Vera, 2020. "Sustainable Development and Populism," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 176(C).
    19. 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.
    20. Hiep Ngoc Luu & Nguyen Hanh Luu & Huong Thi Thu Phung, 2024. "Would external debts promote sustainable development in emerging and low‐income countries?," Journal of International Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 36(2), pages 1110-1128, March.
    21. Sadorsky, Perry, 2009. "Renewable energy consumption, CO2 emissions and oil prices in the G7 countries," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 31(3), pages 456-462, May.
    22. Congleton, Roger D, 1992. "Political Institutions and Pollution Control," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 74(3), pages 412-421, August.
    23. Hunjra, Ahmed Imran & Hassan, M. Kabir & Zaied, Younes Ben & Managi, Shunsuke, 2023. "Nexus between green finance, environmental degradation, and sustainable development: Evidence from developing countries," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 81(C).
    24. Galletta, Simona & Mazzù, Sebastiano & Naciti, Valeria & Paltrinieri, Andrea, 2024. "A PRISMA systematic review of greenwashing in the banking industry: A call for action," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 69(C).
    25. Amine Ben Amar, 2021. "Economic growth and environment in the United Kingdom: robust evidence using more than 250 years data," Environmental Economics and Policy Studies, Springer;Society for Environmental Economics and Policy Studies - SEEPS, vol. 23(4), pages 667-681, October.
    26. Le, Thai-Ha & Nguyen, Canh Phuc, 2019. "Is energy security a driver for economic growth? Evidence from a global sample," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 129(C), pages 436-451.
    27. Sadeq Damrah & Elma Satrovic & Mohamad Atyeh & Fekri Ali Shawtari, 2022. "Employing the Panel Quantile Regression Approach to Examine the Role of Natural Resources in Achieving Environmental Sustainability: Does Globalization Create Some Difference?," Mathematics, MDPI, vol. 10(24), pages 1-19, December.
    28. H seyin Kalyoncu & Faruk G rsoy & Hasan G cen, 2013. "Causality Relationship between GDP and Energy Consumption in Georgia, Azerbaijan and Armenia," International Journal of Energy Economics and Policy, Econjournals, vol. 3(1), pages 111-117.
    29. Aydin, Mucahit, 2019. "Renewable and non-renewable electricity consumption–economic growth nexus: Evidence from OECD countries," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 136(C), pages 599-606.
    30. Hasanov, Fakhri & Bulut, Cihan & Suleymanov, Elchin, 2017. "Review of energy-growth nexus: A panel analysis for ten Eurasian oil exporting countries," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 73(C), pages 369-386.
    31. Zhenci Xu & Yingjie Li & Sophia N. Chau & Thomas Dietz & Canbing Li & Luwen Wan & Jindong Zhang & Liwei Zhang & Yunkai Li & Min Gon Chung & Jianguo Liu, 2020. "Impacts of international trade on global sustainable development," Nature Sustainability, Nature, vol. 3(11), pages 964-971, November.
    32. Jean Tirole, 1988. "The Theory of Industrial Organization," MIT Press Books, The MIT Press, edition 1, volume 1, number 0262200716, December.
    33. Ewing, Bradley T. & Payne, James E. & Caporin, Massimilano, 2022. "The Asymmetric Impact of Oil Prices and Production on Drilling Rig Trajectory: A correction," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 79(C).
    34. Eyup DOGAN, 2014. "Energy Consumption and Economic Growth: Evidence from Low-Income Countries in Sub-Saharan Africa," International Journal of Energy Economics and Policy, Econjournals, vol. 4(2), pages 154-162.
    35. Khan, Irfan & Zakari, Abdulrasheed & Dagar, Vishal & Singh, Sanjeet, 2022. "World energy trilemma and transformative energy developments as determinants of economic growth amid environmental sustainability," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 108(C).
    36. Chien‐Chiang Lee & Godwin Olasehinde‐Williams, 2024. "Does economic complexity influence environmental performance? Empirical evidence from OECD countries," International Journal of Finance & Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 29(1), pages 356-382, January.
    37. Škare, Marinko & Gavurova, Beata & Porada-Rochon, Malgorzata, 2024. "Digitalization and carbon footprint: Building a path to a sustainable economic growth," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 199(C).
    38. Hunjra, Ahmed Imran & Azam, Muhammad & Bruna, Maria Giuseppina & Taskin, Dilvin, 2022. "Role of financial development for sustainable economic development in low middle income countries," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 47(PB).
    39. Hametner, Markus, 2022. "Economics without ecology: How the SDGs fail to align socioeconomic development with environmental sustainability," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 199(C).
    40. Saldivia, Mauricio & Kristjanpoller, Werner & Olson, Josephine E., 2020. "Energy consumption and GDP revisited: A new panel data approach with wavelet decomposition," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 272(C).
    41. Joseph Stiglitz, 1998. "Distinguished Lecture on Economics in Government: The Private Uses of Public Interests: Incentives and Institutions," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 12(2), pages 3-22, Spring.
    42. Brian C. O'Neill & Michael Oppenheimer & Rachel Warren & Stephane Hallegatte & Robert E. Kopp & Hans O. Pörtner & Robert Scholes & Joern Birkmann & Wendy Foden & Rachel Licker & Katharine J. Mach & Ph, 2017. "IPCC reasons for concern regarding climate change risks," Nature Climate Change, Nature, vol. 7(1), pages 28-37, January.
    43. Pedersen, Lasse Heje & Fitzgibbons, Shaun & Pomorski, Lukasz, 2021. "Responsible investing: The ESG-efficient frontier," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 142(2), pages 572-597.
    44. Rana Muhammad Adeel-Farooq & Jimoh Olajide Raji & Ghulam Muhmmad Qamri, 2023. "Does financial development influence the overall natural environment? An environmental performance index (EPI) based insight from the ASEAN countries," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 25(6), pages 5123-5139, June.
    45. Karatayev, Marat & Hall, Stephen, 2020. "Establishing and comparing energy security trends in resource-rich exporting nations (Russia and the Caspian Sea region)," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 68(C).
    46. Shen Yap & Hui Shan Lee & Ping Xin Liew, 2023. "The role of financial inclusion in achieving finance-related sustainable development goals (SDGs): a cross-country analysis," Economic Research-Ekonomska Istraživanja, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 36(3), pages 2212028-221, December.
    47. Grooms, Katherine K., 2015. "Enforcing the Clean Water Act: The effect of state-level corruption on compliance," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 73(C), pages 50-78.
    48. Usman, Ojonugwa & Alola, Andrew Adewale & Sarkodie, Samuel Asumadu, 2020. "Assessment of the role of renewable energy consumption and trade policy on environmental degradation using innovation accounting: Evidence from the US," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 150(C), pages 266-277.
    49. Marcantonini, Claudio & Valero, Vanessa, 2017. "Renewable energy and CO2 abatement in Italy," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 106(C), pages 600-613.
    50. Solomon Aboagye, 2017. "Economic Expansion and Environmental Sustainability Nexus in Ghana," African Development Review, African Development Bank, vol. 29(2), pages 155-168, June.
    51. Chien, FengSheng & Chau, Ka Yin & Sadiq, Muhammad, 2023. "Impact of climate mitigation technology and natural resource management on climate change in China," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 81(C).
    52. Galletta, Simona & Mazzù, Sebastiano & Naciti, Valeria, 2022. "A bibliometric analysis of ESG performance in the banking industry: From the current status to future directions," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 62(C).
    53. Bagh, Tanveer & Zhou, Bingjun & Alawi, Suha Mahmoud & Azam, Rauf I, 2024. "ESG resilience: Exploring the non-linear effects of ESG performance on firms sustainable growth," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 70(PA).
    54. Naseer, Mirza Muhammad & Guo, Yongsheng & Bagh, Tanveer & Zhu, Xiaoxian, 2024. "Sustainable investments in volatile times: Nexus of climate change risk, ESG practices, and market volatility," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 95(PB).
    55. Danish & Recep Ulucak & Salah‐Ud‐Din Khan, 2020. "Relationship between energy intensity and CO2 emissions: Does economic policy matter?," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 28(5), pages 1457-1464, September.
    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. Azam, Anam & Ateeq, Muhammad & Shafique, Muhammad & Rafiq, Muhammad & Yuan, Jiahai, 2023. "Primary energy consumption-growth nexus: The role of natural resources, quality of government, and fixed capital formation," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 263(PA).
    2. Jin, Taeyoung & Kim, Dowon, 2023. "The role of renewable energy in hedging against oil price risks: A study of OECD net oil importers," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 218(C).
    3. Hasan, Mohammad Maruf & Nan, Su & Waris, Umra, 2024. "Assessing the dynamics among oil consumption, ecological footprint, and renewable energy: Role of institutional quality in major oil-consuming countries," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 90(C).
    4. Arminen, Heli & Menegaki, Angeliki N., 2019. "Corruption, climate and the energy-environment-growth nexus," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 80(C), pages 621-634.
    5. Sofien, Tiba & Omri, Anis, 2016. "Literature survey on the relationships between energy variables, environment and economic growth," MPRA Paper 82555, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 14 Sep 2016.
    6. Haiqing Hu & Di Chen & Chun‐Ping Chang & Yin Chu, 2021. "The Political Economy Of Environmental Consequences: A Review Of The Empirical Literature," Journal of Economic Surveys, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 35(1), pages 250-306, February.
    7. Rabie Said & Muhammad Ishaq Bhatti & Ahmed Imran Hunjra, 2022. "Toward Understanding Renewable Energy and Sustainable Development in Developing and Developed Economies: A Review," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(15), pages 1-12, July.
    8. Halkos, George E. & Tzeremes, Nickolaos G., 2013. "Carbon dioxide emissions and governance: A nonparametric analysis for the G-20," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 40(C), pages 110-118.
    9. Rahman, Mohammad Mafizur & Velayutham, Eswaran, 2020. "Renewable and non-renewable energy consumption-economic growth nexus: New evidence from South Asia," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 147(P1), pages 399-408.
    10. Fakher, Hossein Ali & Ahmed, Zahoor & Acheampong, Alex O. & Nathaniel, Solomon Prince, 2023. "Renewable energy, nonrenewable energy, and environmental quality nexus: An investigation of the N-shaped Environmental Kuznets Curve based on six environmental indicators," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 263(PA).
    11. Shahbaz, Muhammad & Raghutla, Chandrashekar & Chittedi, Krishna Reddy & Jiao, Zhilun & Vo, Xuan Vinh, 2020. "The effect of renewable energy consumption on economic growth: Evidence from the renewable energy country attractive index," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 207(C).
    12. 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.
    13. Román-Aso, Juan A. & Bellido, Héctor & Olmos, Lorena, 2024. "Does corruption pollute the wheel? An analysis for OECD countries," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 223(C).
    14. Wang, Haiyan & Lei, Zhaoyang, 2023. "Energy supply from oil and gas, mineral depletion, and total natural resource rents: Impact of oil equivalent energy use CO2 intensity," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 86(PB).
    15. Wang, Zhijian & Ben Jebli, Mehdi & Madaleno, Mara & Doğan, Buhari & Shahzad, Umer, 2021. "Does export product quality and renewable energy induce carbon dioxide emissions: Evidence from leading complex and renewable energy economies," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 171(C), pages 360-370.
    16. Meiramkul Saiymova & Marija Troyanskaya & Kulyash Shalgimbayeva & Zhanat Babazhanova & Roza Jumabekova, 2023. "The Vector Auto Regression Analysis of the Link between Renewable Energy Consumption and Economic Development for Turkey and Kazakhstan," International Journal of Energy Economics and Policy, Econjournals, vol. 13(2), pages 309-315, March.
    17. Khan, Irfan & Zakari, Abdulrasheed & Dagar, Vishal & Singh, Sanjeet, 2022. "World energy trilemma and transformative energy developments as determinants of economic growth amid environmental sustainability," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 108(C).
    18. Shi, Daqian & Lu, Shan & Fang, Ziwei, 2024. "The effect of executive green human capital on greenwashing," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 71(C).
    19. Maurizio Lisciandra & Carlo Migliardo, 2017. "An Empirical Study of the Impact of Corruption on Environmental Performance: Evidence from Panel Data," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 68(2), pages 297-318, October.
    20. 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.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    sustainable development goals; environmental performance; governance; renewable energy; economic growth; environmental sustainability;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • G28 - Financial Economics - - Financial Institutions and Services - - - Government Policy and Regulation
    • O40 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Growth and Aggregate Productivity - - - General
    • Q01 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - General - - - Sustainable Development
    • Q20 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Renewable Resources and Conservation - - - General
    • Q56 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Environment and Development; Environment and Trade; Sustainability; Environmental Accounts and Accounting; Environmental Equity; Population Growth

    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:riibaf:v:73:y:2025:i:pb:s0275531924004392. 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: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/ribaf .

    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.