IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v17y2025i3p1094-d1579622.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Investigating the Role of Environmental Taxes, Green Finance, Natural Resources, Human Capital, and Economic Growth on Environmental Pollution Using Panel Quantile Regression

Author

Listed:
  • Xuemei Guan

    (School of Economics and Management, Yancheng Institute of Technology, Yancheng 224051, China)

  • Afnan Hassan

    (Centre for Socio Economic Development Research, Lahore 54792, Pakistan)

  • Abdelmohsen A. Nassani

    (Department of Management, College of Business Administration, King Saud University, P.O. Box 71115, Riyadh 11587, Saudi Arabia)

Abstract

Natural resources (NRs) are important for the operation of any economy and are crucial for preserving environmental quality. However, the persistent utilization of NRs has led to a severe deterioration of environmental quality. This presents a vulnerability to the steadiness of the ecosystem, emphasizing the urgent requirement to achieve a harmonious equilibrium concerning the utilization of NRs and the conservation of environmental quality. Environmental taxes (ETs), green finance (GF), and the cultivation of a proficient workforce dedicated to achieving sustainable development are essential for attaining equilibrium and advancing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). We aim to investigate the impact of NR, ET, GF, and the human capital index (HCI) on environmental pollution (PM 2.5 , CH 4 , CO 2 , and N 2 O) in the G20 countries from 2000 to 2022. This study employs a novel and cutting-edge MMQR methodology, offering distinct perspectives that diverge from the conclusions of previous research. The study’s findings suggest that excessive use of NRs contributes to the degradation of environmental quality. ET, GF, and economic growth help to improve environmental quality, but HCI has a harmful impact. The paper proposes that the establishment and enforcement of environmental regulations are crucial for attaining ecological integrity and meeting SDGs 7, 12, and 13.

Suggested Citation

  • Xuemei Guan & Afnan Hassan & Abdelmohsen A. Nassani, 2025. "Investigating the Role of Environmental Taxes, Green Finance, Natural Resources, Human Capital, and Economic Growth on Environmental Pollution Using Panel Quantile Regression," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(3), pages 1-20, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:17:y:2025:i:3:p:1094-:d:1579622
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/17/3/1094/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/17/3/1094/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Anfeng Xu & Abu Bakkar Siddik & Farid Ahammad Sobhani & Md. Mominur Rahman, 2024. "Driving economic success: Fintech, tourism, FDI, and digitalization in the top 10 tourist destinations," Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 11(1), pages 1-11, December.
    2. Tamazian, Artur & Bhaskara Rao, B., 2010. "Do economic, financial and institutional developments matter for environmental degradation? Evidence from transitional economies," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 32(1), pages 137-145, January.
    3. Pedroni, Peter, 2004. "Panel Cointegration: Asymptotic And Finite Sample Properties Of Pooled Time Series Tests With An Application To The Ppp Hypothesis," Econometric Theory, Cambridge University Press, vol. 20(3), pages 597-625, June.
    4. Lisha, Liu & Mousa, Saeed & Arnone, Gioia & Muda, Iskandar & Huerta-Soto, Rosario & Shiming, Zhai, 2023. "Natural resources, green innovation, fintech, and sustainability: A fresh insight from BRICS," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 80(C).
    5. M. Hashem Pesaran, 2021. "General diagnostic tests for cross-sectional dependence in panels," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 60(1), pages 13-50, January.
    6. Joakim Westerlund, 2007. "Testing for Error Correction in Panel Data," Oxford Bulletin of Economics and Statistics, Department of Economics, University of Oxford, vol. 69(6), pages 709-748, December.
    7. Pesaran, M. Hashem & Vanessa Smith, L. & Yamagata, Takashi, 2013. "Panel unit root tests in the presence of a multifactor error structure," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 175(2), pages 94-115.
    8. Huang, Fei & Ren, Yuheng, 2024. "Harnessing the green frontier: The impact of green finance reform and digitalization on corporate green innovation," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 66(C).
    9. Obobisa, Emma Serwaa & Chen, Haibo & Mensah, Isaac Adjei, 2022. "The impact of green technological innovation and institutional quality on CO2 emissions in African countries," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 180(C).
    10. Uddin, Mirza Md Moyen & Sharif, Taimur & Islam, Abe Reza Mohammad & Abedin, Mohammad Zoynul, 2024. "Moderating impact of FDI on the growth-environment nexus in the pre-COVID-19 eras," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 67(PA).
    11. Qiang Wang & Ting Yang & Rongrong Li & Lili Wang, 2023. "Population aging redefines the economic growth-carbon emissions nexus, energy consumption-carbon emissions nexus - Evidence from 36 OECD countries," Energy & Environment, , vol. 34(4), pages 946-970, June.
    12. Li, Shi & Chen, Lei & Jiang, Tao & Wang, YingJie & Shen, Congcong, 2024. "Multidimensional financial development and natural resources: A path for sustainable development via natural resources and digitalization," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 88(C).
    13. Ulucak, Recep & Danish, & Ozcan, Burcu, 2020. "Relationship between energy consumption and environmental sustainability in OECD countries: The role of natural resources rents," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 69(C).
    14. Perekunah B. Eregha & Solomon P. Nathaniel & Xuan Vinh Vo, 2023. "Economic growth, environmental regulations, energy use, and ecological footprint linkage in the Next-11 countries: Implications for environmental sustainability," Energy & Environment, , vol. 34(5), pages 1327-1347, August.
    15. Minli Yu & Fu-Sheng Tsai & Hui Jin & Hejie Zhang, 2022. "Digital finance and renewable energy consumption: evidence from China," Financial Innovation, Springer;Southwestern University of Finance and Economics, vol. 8(1), pages 1-19, December.
    16. Omri, Anis & Nguyen, Duc Khuong, 2014. "On the determinants of renewable energy consumption: International evidence," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 72(C), pages 554-560.
    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. Manal Elhaj & Fatma Mabrouk & Layan Alotaibi, 2025. "Financing the Green Transition: How Green Finance and Renewable Energy Drive CO 2 Mitigation," Energies, MDPI, vol. 18(21), pages 1-18, October.

    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. Vural, Gulfer, 2021. "Analyzing the impacts of economic growth, pollution, technological innovation and trade on renewable energy production in selected Latin American countries," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 171(C), pages 210-216.
    2. Wang, Shubin & Li, Jiabao & Zhao, Erlong, 2024. "Exploring the role of financial technologies and digital trade in shaping trade-adjusted resource consumption in E7 countries," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 88(C).
    3. Khan, Zeeshan & Malik, Muhammad Yousaf & Latif, Kashmala & Jiao, Zhilun, 2020. "Heterogeneous effect of eco-innovation and human capital on renewable & non-renewable energy consumption: Disaggregate analysis for G-7 countries," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 209(C).
    4. Han, Zhanbing & Heng, Yixin, 2024. "Do fintech and trade diversification discard the natural resource dependency in MENA countries?," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 89(C).
    5. Chien, Fengsheng & Anwar, Ahsan & Hsu, Ching-Chi & Sharif, Arshian & Razzaq, Asif & Sinha, Avik, 2021. "The role of information and communication technology in encountering environmental degradation: Proposing an SDG framework for the BRICS countries," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 65(C).
    6. T. Gries & M. Redlin, 2020. "Trade and economic development: global causality and development- and openness-related heterogeneity," International Economics and Economic Policy, Springer, vol. 17(4), pages 923-944, October.
    7. Ibrahim D. Raheem & Aviral K. Tiwari & Daniel Balsalobre-lorente, 2019. "The Role of ICT and Financial Development on CO2 Emissions and Economic Growth," Working Papers of the African Governance and Development Institute. 19/058, African Governance and Development Institute..
    8. Bo Yang & Minhaj Ali & Shujahat Haider Hashmi & Mohsin Shabir, 2020. "Income Inequality and CO 2 Emissions in Developing Countries: The Moderating Role of Financial Instability," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(17), pages 1-24, August.
    9. Acikgoz, Senay & Ben Ali, Mohamed Sami, 2019. "Where does economic growth in the Middle Eastern and North African countries come from?," The Quarterly Review of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 73(C), pages 172-183.
    10. Olatunji A. Shobande & Simplice A. Asongu, 2021. "Financial Development, Human Capital Development and Climate Change in East and Southern Africa," Working Papers 21/042, European Xtramile Centre of African Studies (EXCAS).
    11. Khan, Muhammad Tariq Iqbal & Yaseen, Muhammad Rizwan & Ali, Qamar, 2019. "Nexus between financial development, tourism, renewable energy, and greenhouse gas emission in high-income countries: A continent-wise analysis," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 83(C), pages 293-310.
    12. Rizwana Yasmeen & Ihtsham Ul Haq Padda & Xing Yao & Wasi Ul Hassan Shah & Muhammad Hafeez, 2022. "Agriculture, forestry, and environmental sustainability: the role of institutions," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 24(6), pages 8722-8746, June.
    13. Shrestha, Anil & Mustafa, Andy Ali & Htike, Myo Myo & You, Vithyea & Kakinaka, Makoto, 2022. "Evolution of energy mix in emerging countries: Modern renewable energy, traditional renewable energy, and non-renewable energy," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 199(C), pages 419-432.
    14. António Afonso & Florence Huart & João Tovar Jalles & Piotr Stanek, 2019. "Assessing the sustainability of external imbalances in the European Union," The World Economy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 42(2), pages 320-348, February.
    15. António Afonso & José Carlos Coelho, 2021. "60%, -4% And 6%, a Tale of Thresholds for EU Fiscal and Current Account Developments," EconPol Working Paper 69, ifo Institute - Leibniz Institute for Economic Research at the University of Munich.
    16. Peñasco, Cristina & del Río, Pablo & Romero-Jordán, Desiderio, 2017. "Gas and electricity demand in Spanish manufacturing industries: An analysis using homogeneous and heterogeneous estimators," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 45(C), pages 45-60.
    17. Xu, Haitao & Yang, Chengying & Li, Xuetao & Liu, Ruiyu & Zhang, Yonghong, 2024. "How do fintech, digitalization, green technologies influence sustainable environment in CIVETS nations? An evidence from CUP FM and CUP BC approaches," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 92(C).
    18. Mohamed Yufenyuy & Saltuk Pirgalıoğlu & Orhan Yenigün, 2025. "The asymmetric effect of biomass energy use on environmental quality: empirical evidence from the Congo Basin," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 27(5), pages 10241-10274, May.
    19. Muhammad Azam & Zia Ur Rehman & Yusnidah Ibrahim, 2022. "Causal nexus in industrialization, urbanization, trade openness, and carbon emissions: empirical evidence from OPEC economies," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 24(12), pages 13990-14010, December.
    20. Rishan Adha & Cheng-Yih Hong & Somya Agrawal & Li-Hua Li, 2023. "ICT, carbon emissions, climate change, and energy demand nexus: The potential benefit of digitalization in Taiwan," Energy & Environment, , vol. 34(5), pages 1619-1638, August.

    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:gam:jsusta:v:17:y:2025:i:3:p:1094-:d:1579622. 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.