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Assessing the Impacts of Technological Innovation on Carbon Emissions in MENA Countries: Application of the Innovation Curve Theory

Author

Listed:
  • Nouf Alnafisah

    (Department of Economics, College of Business Administration, Princess Nourah Bint Abdulrahman University, P.O. Box 84428, Riyadh 11671, Saudi Arabia)

  • Eman Alsmari

    (Department of Economics, College of Business Administration, Princess Nourah Bint Abdulrahman University, P.O. Box 84428, Riyadh 11671, Saudi Arabia)

  • Amal Alshehri

    (Department of Economics, College of Business Administration, Princess Nourah Bint Abdulrahman University, P.O. Box 84428, Riyadh 11671, Saudi Arabia)

  • Jawaher Binsuwadan

    (Department of Economics, College of Business Administration, Princess Nourah Bint Abdulrahman University, P.O. Box 84428, Riyadh 11671, Saudi Arabia)

Abstract

This study investigates the relationship between technological innovation, renewable energy, economic growth, and carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) emissions in a group of six specific Middle East and North Africa (MENA) countries from 1990 to 2019. The study utilizes the modified innovation environmental Kuznets curve model (ICC) theory to examine the potential existence of an inverted U-shaped curve between innovation and environmental quality in these selected MENA countries. Various econometric methods are employed to analyse the data. The results show a positive and significant impact of patents for residents on CO 2 emissions, affirming the influence of patents on environmental quality. Additionally, the square of patents demonstrates a significant negative relationship with carbon emissions, providing evidence for the inverted U shape of Claudia’s theory. These findings imply that the ICC is relevant to the selected countries, with the quadratic patent variable suggesting that the use of innovative technology initially increases emissions but reaches a turning point after a certain threshold.

Suggested Citation

  • Nouf Alnafisah & Eman Alsmari & Amal Alshehri & Jawaher Binsuwadan, 2024. "Assessing the Impacts of Technological Innovation on Carbon Emissions in MENA Countries: Application of the Innovation Curve Theory," Energies, MDPI, vol. 17(4), pages 1-15, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:17:y:2024:i:4:p:904-:d:1339266
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    1. Ionuț Nica & Irina Georgescu & Jani Kinnunen, 2025. "Economic Growth, Innovation, and CO 2 Emissions: Analyzing the Environmental Kuznets Curve and the Innovation Claudia Curve in BRICS Countries," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(8), pages 1-38, April.
    2. Taha Talip Türkistanlı & Nergis Özispa & Gökçe Tuğdemir Kök & Ünal Özdemir & Davut Pehlivan, 2025. "Exploring Research Trends on Climate Change: Insights into Port Resilience and Sustainability," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(8), pages 1-20, April.
    3. Uğur Ayık & Gökhan Erkal & Ömer Yalçınkaya, 2026. "Examining the impact of environmental technologies on carbon emissions in G-20 countries: an alternative environmental hypothesis proposal (EGC)," Economic Change and Restructuring, Springer, vol. 59(2), pages 1-35, April.

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