IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/wly/natres/v50y2026i1p105-121.html

Natural resources, a curse or blessing for international trade? Empirical evidence from CAREC nations

Author

Listed:
  • Guojun Qian

Abstract

There is a huge pile of literature, accessible on economic growth (GDP), natural resource rents (NR), mineral rents (MR), natural gas rents (GR), oil rents (OR), and forest rents (FR) but it does not address the association between trade openness (TO) and the availability of these resources. Thus, this study objectively probes the link among these resources and TO in CAREC nations (Georgia, China, Pakistan, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan) from 2000 to 2022. Mongolia, Afghanistan, and Tajikistan from CAREC countries are exempted in this inquiry due to unavailability of the data for the variables, GR, MR, and OR. The key methods used in this inquiry include method of moment quantile regression (MMQR) followed by Westerlund analysis, slope heterogeneity, CIPS unit root test, cross‐sectional dependence (CSD), and matrix correlation. The MMQR yields valid, trustworthy, and robust results. The empirical estimates demonstrate that MR and OR suggest significant positive impacts on TO. However, NR, GR, FR, and GDP have negative association with TO in CAREC countries. Besides, the research offers pertinent theoretical, and managerial blueprint proposals for global commerce by utilizing MR, OR, FR, and NR contributing to sustainable development goals (SDGs) by fostering economic development, promoting sustainable development, and addressing environmental and social challenges, and highlighting the real impact and association of these resources with TO based on empirical aftermath of the study.

Suggested Citation

  • Guojun Qian, 2026. "Natural resources, a curse or blessing for international trade? Empirical evidence from CAREC nations," Natural Resources Forum, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 50(1), pages 105-121, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:wly:natres:v:50:y:2026:i:1:p:105-121
    DOI: 10.1111/1477-8947.12560
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://doi.org/10.1111/1477-8947.12560
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1111/1477-8947.12560?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. Pan, Kai & Cheng, Chengping & Kirikkaleli, Dervis & Genç, Sema Yılmaz, 2021. "Does financial risk and fiscal decentralization curb resources curse hypothesis in China? Analyzing the role of globalization," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 72(C).
    2. Khan, Syed Abdul Rehman & Ponce, Pablo & Yu, Zhang & Ponce, Katerine, 2022. "Investigating economic growth and natural resource dependence: An asymmetric approach in developed and developing economies," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 77(C).
    3. Sabna Ali & Syed Mansoob Murshed & Elissaios Papyrakis, 2023. "Oil, export diversification and economic growth in Sudan: evidence from a VAR model," Mineral Economics, Springer;Raw Materials Group (RMG);Luleå University of Technology, vol. 36(1), pages 77-96, January.
    4. Sharma, Chandan & Paramati, Sudharshan Reddy, 2022. "Resource curse versus resource blessing: New evidence from resource capital data," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 115(C).
    5. Xu, Yanling & Xu, Tian & Huang, Xiying & Chu, Chien-Chi, 2024. "Natural resources a curse or blessing: The story of Latin American and Caribbean economies employing bootstrap quantile method," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 90(C).
    6. Khan, Anwar & Chenggang, Yang & Hussain, Jamal & Bano, Sadia & Nawaz, AAmir, 2020. "Natural resources, tourism development, and energy-growth-CO2 emission nexus: A simultaneity modeling analysis of BRI countries," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 68(C).
    7. Bashir, Muhammad Adnan & Dengfeng, Zhao & Amin, Fouzia & Mentel, Grzegorz & Raza, Syed Ali & Bashir, Muhammad Farhan, 2023. "Transition to greener electricity and resource use impact on environmental quality: Policy based study from OECD countries," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 81(C).
    8. Kui Wang & Yang Hu & Jing Zhou & Feng Hu, 2023. "Fintech, Financial Constraints and OFDI: Evidence from China," Global Economic Review, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 52(4), pages 326-345, October.
    9. Ampofo, Gideon Kwaku Minua & Cheng, Jinhua & Asante, Daniel Akwasi & Bosah, Philip, 2020. "Total natural resource rents, trade openness and economic growth in the top mineral-rich countries: New evidence from nonlinear and asymmetric analysis," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 68(C).
    10. Wen Jun & Nafeesa Mughal & Prabjot Kaur & Zhaopeng Xing & Vipin Jain & Phan The Cong, 2022. "Achieving green environment targets in the world’s top 10 emitter countries: the role of green innovations and renewable electricity production," Economic Research-Ekonomska Istraživanja, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 35(1), pages 5310-5335, December.
    11. Ajide, Kazeem Bello & Ridwan, Lanre Ibrahim, 2023. "Does natural resource wealth hinder or promote activity of the shadow markets in africa?," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 85(PA).
    12. Bekun, Festus Victor, 2024. "Race to carbon neutrality in South Africa: What role does environmental technological innovation play?," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 354(PA).
    13. Baskaran, Thushyanthan & Blöchl, Florian & Brück, Tilman & Theis, Fabian J., 2011. "The Heckscher-Ohlin model and the network structure of international trade," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 20(2), pages 135-145, April.
    14. Yang, Zeshi & Fang, Ying & Peng, Nianjiao, 2024. "Financial development and natural resource efficiency: Unlocking green growth potential," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 89(C).
    15. Wang, Xinghua & Su, Chi-Wei & Xue, Ziru & Xie, Xin, 2023. "Sustainable development goals perspective of natural resources: Does it paves the way for renewable sources of energy? A global case study," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 86(PB).
    16. Rabah Arezki & Frederick van der Ploeg, 2011. "Do Natural Resources Depress Income Per Capita?," Review of Development Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 15(3), pages 504-521, August.
    17. Dong‐Hyeon Kim & Shu‐Chin Lin & Yu‐Bo Suen, 2011. "Nonlinearity between Trade Openness and Economic Development," Review of Development Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 15(2), pages 279-292, May.
    18. Pan, Lijun & Wang, Yangjie & Sun, Xiaofei & Sadiq, Muhammad & Dagestani, Abd Alwahed, 2023. "Natural resources: A determining factor of geopolitical risk in Russia? Revisiting conflict-based perspective," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 85(PA).
    19. Joakim Westerlund, 2008. "Panel cointegration tests of the Fisher effect," Journal of Applied Econometrics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 23(2), pages 193-233.
    20. Jaros³aw Brodny & Magdalena Tutak, 2023. "The level of implementing sustainable development goal "Industry, innovation and infrastructure" of Agenda 2030 in the European Union countries: Application of MCDM methods," Oeconomia Copernicana, Institute of Economic Research, vol. 14(1), pages 47-102, March.
    21. Redmond, Trumel & Nasir, Muhammad Ali, 2020. "Role of natural resource abundance, international trade and financial development in the economic development of selected countries," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 66(C).
    22. Zheng, Chengting & Wu, Shufang & Teng, Yin-Pei & Wu, Shuzhao & Wang, Zhe, 2023. "Natural resources, tourism resources and economic growth: A new direction to natural resources perspective and investment," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 86(PB).
    23. Liu, Fang & Umair, Muhammad & Gao, Junjun, 2023. "Assessing oil price volatility co-movement with stock market volatility through quantile regression approach," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 81(C).
    24. Ofori-Sasu, Daniel & Adu-Darko, Eunice & Asamoah, Michael Effah & Abor, Joshua Yindenaba, 2023. "Oil rents, trade environment and financial development: An international evidence," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 82(C).
    25. Yu, Xiuzhi & Jia, Fengshuo & Khan, Suliman & Khan, Zeeshan & Nassani, Abdelmohsen A., 2024. "Natural resources a curse or blessings for international trade? Empirical evidence from high indebted economies," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 89(C).
    26. Sumbal Fatima & Bateer Chen & Muhammad Ramzan & Qamar Abbas, 2020. "The Nexus Between Trade Openness and GDP Growth: Analyzing the Role of Human Capital Accumulation," SAGE Open, , vol. 10(4), pages 21582440209, November.
    27. Zhang, Yonggang & Dilanchiev, Azer, 2022. "Economic recovery, industrial structure and natural resource utilization efficiency in China: Effect on green economic recovery," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 79(C).
    28. Destek, Mehmet Akif & Aydın, Sercan & Destek, Gamze, 2022. "Investigating an optimal resource dependency to prevent natural resource curse: Evidence from countries with the curse risk," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 79(C).
    29. Boris Petkov, 2018. "Natural Resource Abundance: Is it a Blessing or is it a Curse," Journal of Economic Development, Chung-Ang Unviersity, Department of Economics, vol. 43(3), pages 25-56, September.
    30. Chen, Lingtao & Yuan, Yongna & Zhao, Na, 2022. "The effect of oil price uncertainty on corporate investment in the presence of growth options: Evidence from listed companies in China (1998–2019)," The North American Journal of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 62(C).
    31. Hasan, Mohammad Maruf & Du, Fang, 2023. "The role of foreign trade and technology innovation on economic recovery in China: The mediating role of natural resources development," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 80(C).
    32. Qiang Ma & Zeeshan Khan & Muhammad Tariq & Hayriye IŞik & Husam Rjoub, 2022. "Sustainable digital economy and trade adjusted carbon emissions: Evidence from China’s provincial data," Economic Research-Ekonomska Istraživanja, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 35(1), pages 5469-5485, December.
    33. Li, Yiying & Yan, Cheng & Ren, Xiaohang, 2023. "Do uncertainties affect clean energy markets? Comparisons from a multi-frequency and multi-quantile framework," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 121(C).
    34. Dai, Xiaofei & Xu, Xiaoqi, 2023. "Bump in energy prices and their impact on natural resources: Energy transition initiatives in OECD countries," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 87(PB).
    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. Liu, Yishuang & Huang, Jinpeng & Xu, Jianxiang & Xiong, Shufei, 2024. "Natural resource dependence and sustainable development policy: Insights from city-level analysis," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 91(C).
    2. Cheng, Haoyu & Chen, Zhijun & Qin, Meng & Su, Chi-Wei, 2024. "Mineral resources and Fintech: Catalyzing human capital and sustainable development," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 92(C).
    3. Chen, Yufeng & Khurshid, Adnan & Rauf, Abdur & Yang, Hanyao & Calin, Adrian Cantemir, 2023. "Natural resource endowment and human development: Contemporary role of governance," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 81(C).
    4. Ozcan, Burcu & Temiz, Mehmet & Gültekin Tarla, Esma, 2023. "The resource curse phenomenon in the case of precious metals: A panel evidence from top 19 exporting countries," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 81(C).
    5. Muhammad, Tufail & Ni, Guohua & Chen, Zhenling & Mallek, Sabrine & Dudek, Marek & Mentel, Grzegorz, 2024. "Addressing resource curse: How mineral resources influence industrial structure dynamics of the BRI 57 oil-exporting countries," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 99(C).
    6. Issaka Dialga & Youmanli Ouoba, 2022. "How do extractive resources affect human development ? Evidence from a panel data analysis," Post-Print hal-04467781, HAL.
    7. Khan, Zeeshan & Hossain, Mohammad Razib & Badeeb, Ramez Abubakr & Zhang, Changyong, 2023. "Aggregate and disaggregate impact of natural resources on economic performance: Role of green growth and human capital," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 80(C).
    8. Nadia Ben Yedder & Malek El Weriemmi & Sayef Bakari, 2023. "The Impact of Domestic Investment and Trade on Economic Growth in North Africa Countries: New Evidence from Panel CS-ARDL Model," EuroEconomica, Danubius University of Galati, issue 2(42), pages 22-41, November.
    9. Zakari, Abdulrasheed & Tawiah, Vincent Konadu & Pinzon, Stefania, 2024. "Greening the recovery: Efficiency in natural resource markets," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 98(C).
    10. Liao, Haojie & Wei, Yi & Ali, Dr Sher & Uktamov, Khusniddin Fakhriddinovich & Ali, Naveed, 2023. "Natural resources extraction and industrial expansion: Natural resources a curse or blessing for the industrial sector of China?," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 85(PB).
    11. Muhammad Imran & Muhammad Kamran Khan & Salman Wahab & Bilal Ahmed & Zhang Jijian, 2025. "The paradox of resource-richness: unraveling the effects on financial markets in natural resource abundant economies," Financial Innovation, Springer;Southwestern University of Finance and Economics, vol. 11(1), pages 1-30, December.
    12. Abbas, Shah & Xu, Deyi & Yuna, Gong & Hussain, Jamal & Abbas, Hussain & Rafique, Kalsoom, 2024. "The contribution of resource-based taxation, green innovation, and minerals trade toward ecological sustainability in resource-rich economies," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 93(C).
    13. Huo, Chuanzhi & Leng, Weijie & Xiang, Yuy, 2024. "Efficient natural resources management through financial and innovative technologies in developing nations from the lens of economic development," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 99(C).
    14. Shiru Sun & Fei Meng & Muhammad Atif Nawaz & Sobia Hanif, 2025. "A re‐assessment of the Resource Curse Hypothesis in top resource‐rich developing countries: Fresh insights using method of moments quantile regression," Natural Resources Forum, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 49(3), pages 2436-2462, August.
    15. Destek, Mehmet Akif & Aydın, Sercan & Destek, Gamze, 2022. "Investigating an optimal resource dependency to prevent natural resource curse: Evidence from countries with the curse risk," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 79(C).
    16. Achuo, Elvis D., 2023. "Resource wealth and the development dilemma in Africa: The role of policy syndromes," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 83(C).
    17. Javed, Hasnain & Du, Jianguo & Iqbal, Shuja & Nassani, Abdelmohsen A. & Basheer, Muhammad Farhan, 2024. "The impact of mineral resource abundance on environmental degradation in ten mineral- rich countries: Do the green innovation and financial technology matter?," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 90(C).
    18. Xing Zhao & Yifan Guo & Zhen Liu & Anteng Xiu, 2023. "Boosting green recovery: the impact of green fiscal policy on green total factor productivity," Economic Change and Restructuring, Springer, vol. 56(4), pages 2601-2619, August.
    19. Viglioni, Marco Túlio Dinali & Calegario, Cristina Lelis Leal & Bruhn, Nádia Campos Pereira, 2025. "Effects of economic complexity and metallic mineral resources on renewable energy transition in developing countries," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 102(C).
    20. Wang, Zhongbao & Razzaq, Asif, 2022. "Natural resources, energy efficiency transition and sustainable development: Evidence from BRICS economies," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 79(C).

    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:50:y:2026:i:1:p:105-121. 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.