IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/wly/natres/v49y2025i1p561-577.html

The synergy of renewable energy consumption, technological innovation, and ecological quality: SDG policy proposals for developing country

Author

Listed:
  • Haowen Fang
  • Evidence Akhayere
  • Tomiwa Sunday Adebayo
  • Doga Kavaz
  • Oluwaseun Racheal Ojekemi

Abstract

The rapid growth of technological innovations and human activities has led to significant adverse effects on the environment and its quality. To assess ecological quality, this study utilizes a comprehensive indicator known as the “load capacity factor,” which incorporates two key ecological components: bio‐capacity and ecological footprints. By employing dynamic autoregressive distributed lag (DYARDL) and spectral causality approaches, the research investigates the impact of fossil fuel consumption, technological innovation, and renewable energy utilization on improving ecological quality from 1990 to 2018. The DYARDL analysis reveals that economic expansion and reliance on fossil fuel energy contribute to a decline in environmental quality, whereas the use of renewable energy enhances ecological sustainability. Moreover, the spectral causality analysis indicates that fossil fuel consumption, renewable energy usage, and economic growth can predict the load capacity factor in the long run. These findings underscore the significance of renewable energy in achieving long‐term environmental objectives. Based on these outcomes, it is recommended that policymakers in South Africa implement measures to reduce ecological damage and foster a more sustainable environment. Emphasizing the adoption of renewable energy sources is crucial for attaining these long‐term environmental targets.

Suggested Citation

  • Haowen Fang & Evidence Akhayere & Tomiwa Sunday Adebayo & Doga Kavaz & Oluwaseun Racheal Ojekemi, 2025. "The synergy of renewable energy consumption, technological innovation, and ecological quality: SDG policy proposals for developing country," Natural Resources Forum, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 49(1), pages 561-577, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:wly:natres:v:49:y:2025:i:1:p:561-577
    DOI: 10.1111/1477-8947.12404
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://doi.org/10.1111/1477-8947.12404
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1111/1477-8947.12404?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
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Soren Jordan & Andrew Q. Philips, 2018. "Cointegration testing and dynamic simulations of autoregressive distributed lag modelsJournal: Stata Journal," Stata Journal, StataCorp LLC, vol. 18(4), pages 902-923, December.
    2. Tsai, Bi-Huei & Chang, Chih-Jen & Chang, Chun-Hsien, 2016. "Elucidating the consumption and CO2 emissions of fossil fuels and low-carbon energy in the United States using Lotka–Volterra models," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 100(C), pages 416-424.
    3. Shang, Yunfeng & Razzaq, Asif & Chupradit, Supat & Binh An, Nguyen & Abdul-Samad, Zulkiflee, 2022. "The role of renewable energy consumption and health expenditures in improving load capacity factor in ASEAN countries: Exploring new paradigm using advance panel models," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 191(C), pages 715-722.
    4. Dervis Kirikkaleli & Tomiwa Sunday Adebayo, 2021. "Do renewable energy consumption and financial development matter for environmental sustainability? New global evidence," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 29(4), pages 583-594, July.
    5. Najid Ahmad & Liangsheng Du & Xian-Liang Tian & Jianlin Wang, 2019. "Chinese growth and dilemmas: modelling energy consumption, CO2 emissions and growth in China," Quality & Quantity: International Journal of Methodology, Springer, vol. 53(1), pages 315-338, January.
    6. M. Hashem Pesaran & Yongcheol Shin & Richard J. Smith, 2001. "Bounds testing approaches to the analysis of level relationships," Journal of Applied Econometrics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 16(3), pages 289-326.
    7. Tomiwa Sunday Adebayo & Dervis Kirikkaleli, 2021. "Impact of renewable energy consumption, globalization, and technological innovation on environmental degradation in Japan: application of wavelet tools," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 23(11), pages 16057-16082, November.
    8. Sinha, Avik & Shahbaz, Muhammad & Sengupta, Tuhin, 2018. "Renewable Energy Policies and Contradictions in Causality: A case of Next 11 Countries," MPRA Paper 87542, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 17 Jun 2018.
    9. Sinha, Avik & Sengupta, Tuhin & Saha, Tanaya, 2020. "Technology policy and environmental quality at crossroads: Designing SDG policies for select Asia Pacific countries," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 161(C).
    10. Menz, Tobias & Welsch, Heinz, 2010. "Population aging and environmental preferences in OECD countries: The case of air pollution," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 69(12), pages 2582-2589, October.
    11. Zhao, Jun & Shahbaz, Muhammad & Dong, Xiucheng & Dong, Kangyin, 2021. "How does financial risk affect global CO2 emissions? The role of technological innovation," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 168(C).
    12. Jahanger, Atif & Usman, Muhammad & Murshed, Muntasir & Mahmood, Haider & Balsalobre-Lorente, Daniel, 2022. "The linkages between natural resources, human capital, globalization, economic growth, financial development, and ecological footprint: The moderating role of technological innovations," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 76(C).
    13. Abbasi, Kashif Raza & Shahbaz, Muhammad & Zhang, Jinjun & Irfan, Muhammad & Alvarado, Rafael, 2022. "Analyze the environmental sustainability factors of China: The role of fossil fuel energy and renewable energy," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 187(C), pages 390-402.
    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. Zhao, Xinlu & Adebayo, Tomiwa Sunday & Kong, Xianli & Al-Faryan, Mamdouh Abdulaziz Saleh, 2022. "Relating energy innovations and natural resources as determinants of environmental sustainability: The role of globalization in G7 countries," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 79(C).
    2. Abbasi, Kashif Raza & Shahbaz, Muhammad & Zhang, Jinjun & Irfan, Muhammad & Alvarado, Rafael, 2022. "Analyze the environmental sustainability factors of China: The role of fossil fuel energy and renewable energy," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 187(C), pages 390-402.
    3. Dervis Kirikkaleli & Tomiwa Sunday Adebayo, 2024. "Political risk and environmental quality in Brazil: Role of green finance and green innovation," International Journal of Finance & Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 29(2), pages 1205-1218, April.
    4. Ramzan, Muhammad & Abbasi, Kashif Raza & Salman, Asma & Dagar, Vishal & Alvarado, Rafael & Kagzi, Muneza, 2023. "Towards the dream of go green: An empirical importance of green innovation and financial depth for environmental neutrality in world's top 10 greenest economies," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 189(C).
    5. Chandrarin, Grahita & Sohag, Kazi & Cahyaningsih, Diyah Sukanti & Yuniawan, Dani, 2022. "Will economic sophistication contribute to Indonesia's emission target? A decomposed analysis," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 181(C).
    6. Xie, Qiaoyan & Adebayo, Tomiwa Sunday & Irfan, Muhammad & Altuntaş, Mehmet, 2022. "Race to environmental sustainability: Can renewable energy consumption and technological innovation sustain the strides for China?," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 197(C), pages 320-330.
    7. Zheng, Li & Abbasi, Kashif Raza & Salem, Sultan & Irfan, Muhammad & Alvarado, Rafael & Lv, Kangjuan, 2022. "How technological innovation and institutional quality affect sectoral energy consumption in Pakistan? Fresh policy insights from novel econometric approach," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 183(C).
    8. Ullah, Sami & Lin, Boqiang, 2024. "Harnessing the synergistic impacts of financial structure, industrialization, and ecological footprint through the lens of the EKC hypothesis. Insights from Pakistan," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 307(C).
    9. Hossain, Mohammad Razib & Singh, Sanjeet & Sharma, Gagan Deep & Apostu, Simona-Andreea & Bansal, Pooja, 2023. "Overcoming the shock of energy depletion for energy policy? Tracing the missing link between energy depletion, renewable energy development and decarbonization in the USA," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 174(C).
    10. Wei, Shuxin & Wei, Wenshan & Umut, Alican, 2023. "Do renewable energy consumption, technological innovation, and international integration enhance environmental sustainability in Brazil?," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 202(C), pages 172-183.
    11. Cai, Helen Huifen & Yuan, Qiong & Tang, Shirley & Nguyen, Quang & Dai, Jie & Zheng, Wenxiu, 2025. "The moderating role of green innovation and ecofriendly goods in growth-greenhouse gas Nexus: A new policy dimension," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 142(C).
    12. Hossain, Md. Emran & Islam, Md. Sayemul & Bandyopadhyay, Arunava & Awan, Ashar & Hossain, Mohammad Razib & Rej, Soumen, 2022. "Mexico at the crossroads of natural resource dependence and COP26 pledge: Does technological innovation help?," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 77(C).
    13. Jiangling Yu & Feng Ju & Muhammad Wahab & Ephraim Bonah Agyekum & Clement Matasane & Solomon Eghosa Uhunamure, 2022. "Estimating the Effects of Economic Complexity and Technological Innovations on CO 2 Emissions: Policy Instruments for N-11 Countries," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(24), pages 1-15, December.
    14. Zhou, Runyu & Abbasi, Kashif Raza & Salem, Sultan & Almulhim, Abdulaziz.I. & Alvarado, Rafael, 2022. "Do natural resources, economic growth, human capital, and urbanization affect the ecological footprint? A modified dynamic ARDL and KRLS approach," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 78(C).
    15. Shu, Xiaoyang & Usman, Muhammad & Ahmad, Paiman & Irfan, Muhammad, 2024. "Analyzing the asymmetric FinTech services under natural resources, and renewable energy in the future environmental performance: New insights from STIRPAT model framework," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 92(C).
    16. Zhang, Jinjun & Abbasi, Kashif Raza & Hussain, Khadim & Akram, Sabahat & Alvarado, Rafael & Almulhim, Abdulaziz I., 2022. "Another perspective towards energy consumption factors in Pakistan: Fresh policy insights from novel methodological framework," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 249(C).
    17. Hussain, Muzzammil & Wang, Wei & Wang, Yiwen, 2022. "Natural resources, consumer prices and financial development in China: Measures to control carbon emissions and ecological footprints," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 78(C).
    18. Wang, Xiaoyi & Chen, Guanqun & Afshan, Sahar & Awosusi, Abraham Ayobamiji & Abbas, Shujaat, 2023. "Transition towards sustainable energy: The role of economic complexity, financial liberalization and natural resources management in China," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 83(C).
    19. Feng Han & Ridwan Lanre Ibrahim & Usama Al-Mulali & Mamdouh Abdulaziz Saleh Al-Faryan, 2024. "Tracking the roadmaps to sustainability: what do the symmetric effects of eco-digitalization, green technology, green finance, and renewable energy portend for China?," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 26(6), pages 13895-13919, June.
    20. Awa Traoré & Cheikh T. Ndour & Simplice A. Asongu, 2023. "Promoting Environmental Sustainability in Africa: Evidence from Governance Synergy," Working Papers of the African Governance and Development Institute. 23/002, African Governance and Development Institute..

    More about this item

    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:wly:natres:v:49:y:2025:i:1:p:561-577. 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: Wiley Content Delivery (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://doi.org/10.1111/(ISSN)1477-8947 .

    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.