IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v17y2025i9p4117-d1648182.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Renewable Energy Solution to Carbon Emissions: BRICS Countries in the Grip of Globalization and Economic Growth

Author

Listed:
  • Eren Erkılıç

    (Department of Tourism Management, Ardeşen Tourism Faculty, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan University, Rize 53400, Türkiye)

  • Cengiz Gazeloğlu

    (Department of Statistics, Engineering and Natural Sciences, Süleyman Demirel University, Isparta 32000, Türkiye)

  • Ece Özgören Ünlü

    (Department of Statistics, Engineering and Natural Sciences, Süleyman Demirel University, Isparta 32000, Türkiye)

Abstract

The BRICS countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) are responsible for forty-two per cent of global carbon emissions. These rapidly industrializing and economically growing countries are dependent on fossil fuels, which can lead to increased emissions. This research analyses the impact of economic growth, globalization, and renewable energy (RE) use on CO 2 using a unique dataset of 155 observations and a practical model. Using panel data for 1990–2020, this study examines the relationships between CO 2 emissions, GDP, RE use, and the KOF Globalization Index based on the Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) theory. Cointegration, unit root test, panel data analysis, and FGLS regression methods were used in this study. The results show that economic growth and globalization increase CO 2 , while RE is insufficient to reduce these effects. Moreover, it is determined that globalization has an increasing effect on CO 2 . This study makes a prominent contribution to the literature by examining the combined effects of globalization and economic growth on environmental sustainability. The findings emphasize the need for sustainable energy policies in BRICS countries.

Suggested Citation

  • Eren Erkılıç & Cengiz Gazeloğlu & Ece Özgören Ünlü, 2025. "Renewable Energy Solution to Carbon Emissions: BRICS Countries in the Grip of Globalization and Economic Growth," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(9), pages 1-24, May.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:17:y:2025:i:9:p:4117-:d:1648182
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/17/9/4117/pdf
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/17/9/4117/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Bodas Freitas, Isabel Maria & Dantas, Eva & Iizuka, Michiko, 2012. "The Kyoto mechanisms and the diffusion of renewable energy technologies in the BRICS," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 42(C), pages 118-128.
    2. Engle, Robert & Granger, Clive, 2015. "Co-integration and error correction: Representation, estimation, and testing," Applied Econometrics, Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration (RANEPA), vol. 39(3), pages 106-135.
    3. Zhiheng Wu & Guisheng Hou & Baogui Xin, 2020. "The Causality between Participation in GVCs, Renewable Energy Consumption and CO 2 Emissions," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(3), pages 1-26, February.
    4. Andrei Shleifer & Robert W. Vishny, 1991. "Reversing the Soviet Economic Collapse," Brookings Papers on Economic Activity, Economic Studies Program, The Brookings Institution, vol. 22(2), pages 341-367.
    5. Hayat Khan & Liu Weili & Itbar Khan & Sikeo Khamphengxay, 2021. "Renewable Energy Consumption, Trade Openness, and Environmental Degradation: A Panel Data Analysis of Developing and Developed Countries," Mathematical Problems in Engineering, Hindawi, vol. 2021, pages 1-13, March.
    6. M. Hashem Pesaran, 2007. "A simple panel unit root test in the presence of cross-section dependence," Journal of Applied Econometrics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 22(2), pages 265-312.
    7. Da Gao & Linfang Tan & Yue Chen, 2025. "Smarter is greener: can intelligent manufacturing improve enterprises’ ESG performance?," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 12(1), pages 1-12, December.
    8. T. S. Breusch & A. R. Pagan, 1980. "The Lagrange Multiplier Test and its Applications to Model Specification in Econometrics," The Review of Economic Studies, Review of Economic Studies Ltd, vol. 47(1), pages 239-253.
    9. Jeffrey M Wooldridge, 2010. "Econometric Analysis of Cross Section and Panel Data," MIT Press Books, The MIT Press, edition 2, volume 1, number 0262232588, December.
    10. Hausman, Jerry, 2015. "Specification tests in econometrics," Applied Econometrics, Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration (RANEPA), vol. 38(2), pages 112-134.
    11. Jiang-Long Liu & Chao-Qun Ma & Yi-Shuai Ren & Xin-Wei Zhao, 2020. "Do Real Output and Renewable Energy Consumption Affect CO 2 Emissions? Evidence for Selected BRICS Countries," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(4), pages 1-18, February.
    12. Nuno Carlos Leitão & Daniel Balsalobre-Lorente & José María Cantos-Cantos, 2021. "The Impact of Renewable Energy and Economic Complexity on Carbon Emissions in BRICS Countries under the EKC Scheme," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(16), pages 1-15, August.
    13. 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.
    14. 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.
    15. Huan Zhang, 2021. "Technology Innovation, Economic Growth and Carbon Emissions in the Context of Carbon Neutrality: Evidence from BRICS," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(20), pages 1-22, October.
    16. Habib Ur Rahman & Umer Zaman & Jarosław Górecki, 2021. "The Role of Energy Consumption, Economic Growth and Globalization in Environmental Degradation: Empirical Evidence from the BRICS Region," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(4), pages 1-16, February.
    17. Feng Dong & Yuling Pan, 2020. "Evolution of Renewable Energy in BRI Countries: A Combined Econometric and Decomposition Approach," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(22), pages 1-18, November.
    18. Da Gao & Xinlin Mo & Ruochan Xiong & Zhiliang Huang, 2022. "Tax Policy and Total Factor Carbon Emission Efficiency: Evidence from China’s VAT Reform," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(15), pages 1-17, July.
    19. Muhammad Hafeez & Chunhui Yuan & Issam Khelfaoui & Almalki Sultan Musaad O & Muhammad Waqas Akbar & Liu Jie, 2019. "Evaluating the Energy Consumption Inequalities in the One Belt and One Road Region: Implications for the Environment," Energies, MDPI, vol. 12(7), pages 1-15, April.
    20. Daniel Balsalobre‐Lorente & Oana M. Driha & George Halkos & Shekhar Mishra, 2022. "Influence of growth and urbanization on CO2 emissions: The moderating effect of foreign direct investment on energy use in BRICS," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 30(1), pages 227-240, February.
    21. Xiaochun Zhao & Mei Jiang & Wei Zhang, 2022. "Decoupling between Economic Development and Carbon Emissions and Its Driving Factors: Evidence from China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(5), pages 1-15, March.
    22. Fumei He & Ke-Chiun Chang & Min Li & Xueping Li & Fangjhy Li, 2020. "Bootstrap ARDL Test on the Relationship among Trade, FDI, and CO 2 Emissions: Based on the Experience of BRICS Countries," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(3), pages 1-23, February.
    23. Joshua Dzankar Zoaka & Daberechi Chikezie Ekwueme & Hasan Güngör & Andrew Adewale Alola, 2022. "Will financial development and clean energy utilization rejuvenate the environment in BRICS economies?," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 31(5), pages 2156-2170, July.
    24. Da Gao & Linfang Tan & Yue Chen, 2025. "Unlocking Carbon Reduction Potential of Digital Trade: Evidence from China’s Comprehensive Cross-border E-Commerce Pilot Zones," SAGE Open, , vol. 15(1), pages 21582440251, February.
    25. Stanley Fischer, 1992. "Stabilization and Economic Reform in Russia," Brookings Papers on Economic Activity, Economic Studies Program, The Brookings Institution, vol. 23(1), pages 77-126.
    26. 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)

    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. Cong Khai Dinh & Quang Thanh Ngo & Trung Thanh Nguyen, 2021. "Medium- and High-Tech Export and Renewable Energy Consumption: Non-Linear Evidence from the ASEAN Countries," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(15), pages 1-16, July.
    2. Francisco García-Lillo & Eduardo Sánchez-García & Bartolomé Marco-Lajara & Pedro Seva-Larrosa, 2023. "Renewable Energies and Sustainable Development: A Bibliometric Overview," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(3), pages 1-22, January.
    3. Uzar, Umut, 2020. "Political economy of renewable energy: Does institutional quality make a difference in renewable energy consumption?," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 155(C), pages 591-603.
    4. Cristiana Tudor & Robert Sova, 2021. "On the Impact of GDP per Capita, Carbon Intensity and Innovation for Renewable Energy Consumption: Worldwide Evidence," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(19), pages 1-25, October.
    5. Sun, Huaping & Samuel, Clottey Attuquaye & Kofi Amissah, Joshua Clifford & Taghizadeh-Hesary, Farhad & Mensah, Isaac Adjei, 2020. "Non-linear nexus between CO2 emissions and economic growth: A comparison of OECD and B&R countries," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 212(C).
    6. Muhammad Bilal Khan & Hummera Saleem & Malik Shahzad Shabbir & Xie Huobao, 2022. "The effects of globalization, energy consumption and economic growth on carbon dioxide emissions in South Asian countries," Energy & Environment, , vol. 33(1), pages 107-134, February.
    7. Abdullah Emre Caglar & Bulent Guloglu & Ayfer Gedikli, 2022. "Moving towards sustainable environmental development for BRICS: Investigating the asymmetric effect of natural resources on CO2," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 30(5), pages 1313-1325, October.
    8. Nicoleta Mihaela Florea & Roxana Maria Bădîrcea & Georgeta-Madalina Meghisan-Toma & Silvia Puiu & Alina Georgiana Manta & Dorel Berceanu, 2021. "Linking Public Finances’ Performance to Renewable-Energy Consumption in Emerging Economies of the European Union," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(11), pages 1-14, June.
    9. George E. Halkos & Apostolos S. Tsirivis, 2023. "Electricity Production and Sustainable Development: The Role of Renewable Energy Sources and Specific Socioeconomic Factors," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(2), pages 1-21, January.
    10. Muhammad Shahbaz & Syed Jawad Hussain Shahzad & Mantu Kumar Mahalik & Perry Sadorsky, 2018. "How strong is the causal relationship between globalization and energy consumption in developed economies? A country-specific time-series and panel analysis," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 50(13), pages 1479-1494, March.
    11. Dong, Kangyin & Sun, Renjin & Li, Hui & Liao, Hua, 2018. "Does natural gas consumption mitigate CO2 emissions: Testing the environmental Kuznets curve hypothesis for 14 Asia-Pacific countries," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 94(C), pages 419-429.
    12. Armenia Androniceanu & Irina Georgescu, 2023. "The Impact of CO 2 Emissions and Energy Consumption on Economic Growth: A Panel Data Analysis," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(3), pages 1-17, January.
    13. Zafar, Muhammad Wasif & Shahbaz, Muhammad & Hou, Fujun & Sinha, Avik, 2018. "¬¬¬¬¬¬From Nonrenewable to Renewable Energy and Its Impact on Economic Growth: Silver Line of Research & Development Expenditures in APEC Countries," MPRA Paper 90611, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 10 Dec 2018.
    14. Itbar Khan & Ruoyu Zhong & Lei Han & Hayat Khan, 2025. "Analyzing the Nexus Between Income Inequality, Renewable Energy, and Environmental Quality: Emphasizing the Significance of Institutional Quality," Journal of the Knowledge Economy, Springer;Portland International Center for Management of Engineering and Technology (PICMET), vol. 16(1), pages 3793-3825, March.
    15. Qiao, Hui & Chen, Siyu & Dong, Xiucheng & Dong, Kangyin, 2019. "Has China's coal consumption actually reached its peak? National and regional analysis considering cross-sectional dependence and heterogeneity," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 84(C).
    16. Aina B. Aidarova & Gulzada Mukhamediyeva & Aizhan A. Yessentayeva & Guliya Utemissova & Karlygash Tastanbekova & Bagila Mustafayeva & Kundyz Myrzabekkyzy, 2024. "Relationship between Oil Exports, Renewable Energy Consumption, Agriculture Industry, and Economic Growth in Selected OPEC Countries: A Panel ARDL Analysis," International Journal of Energy Economics and Policy, Econjournals, vol. 14(6), pages 344-352, November.
    17. José Alberto Fuinhas & Matheus Koengkan & Nuno Carlos Leitão & Chinazaekpere Nwani & Gizem Uzuner & Fatemeh Dehdar & Stefania Relva & Drielli Peyerl, 2021. "Effect of Battery Electric Vehicles on Greenhouse Gas Emissions in 29 European Union Countries," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(24), pages 1-26, December.
    18. Al Mamun, Md. & Sohag, Kazi & Hannan Mia, Md. Abdul & Salah Uddin, Gazi & Ozturk, Ilhan, 2014. "Regional differences in the dynamic linkage between CO2 emissions, sectoral output and economic growth," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 38(C), pages 1-11.
    19. Yilmaz BAYAR & Ömer Faruk OZTURK, 2016. "Trade Openness and Environmental Pollution in Emerging Market Economies," Eurasian Eononometrics, Statistics and Emprical Economics Journal, Eurasian Academy Of Sciences, vol. 3(3), pages 33-42, February.
    20. Haoran Zhao & Sen Guo & Huiru Zhao, 2018. "Impacts of GDP, Fossil Fuel Energy Consumption, Energy Consumption Intensity, and Economic Structure on SO 2 Emissions: A Multi-Variate Panel Data Model Analysis on Selected Chinese Provinces," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(3), pages 1-20, March.

    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:9:p:4117-:d:1648182. 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.