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How renewable and nuclear energy-related research and development expenditures pave the way for curbing carbon emissions in France?

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  • Ugur Korkut Pata
  • Mustafa Naimoglu

Abstract

Research and development expenditures on clean energy have recently become an important option for sustainable development solutions. The lack of a study examining the impact of clean energy research and development expenditures on ecological quality in France is a research gap. With this motivation, this study aims to explore the impact of energy prices, technological advancements in renewable and nuclear energy on carbon (CO 2 ) emissions in France from 1990 to 2020. To this end, the study employs the Fourier autoregressive distributed lag approach. The study recognizes the importance of environmental quality for sustainable development and highlights the negative ecological impact of fossil fuels. It points out that nuclear and renewable energy are valuable alternatives to fossil fuels. In addition, the study points out that rising energy prices can help encourage a switch to cleaner energy sources by making fossil fuels less economically viable. However, the adoption of alternative energies depends on factors such as cost and technological infrastructure. In particular, technological advancements in renewables have a greater impact on CO 2 mitigation than those in nuclear energy. The unique contribution of this study is to explore the impact of energy-related technological developments on ecological quality in France, filling a research gap.

Suggested Citation

  • Ugur Korkut Pata & Mustafa Naimoglu, 2026. "How renewable and nuclear energy-related research and development expenditures pave the way for curbing carbon emissions in France?," Energy & Environment, , vol. 37(2), pages 1143-1160, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:engenv:v:37:y:2026:i:2:p:1143-1160
    DOI: 10.1177/0958305X241258798
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