The Role of Technological Innovation and Renewable Energy in Sustainable Development: Reducing the Carbon Footprint of Food Supply Chains

This study offers a novel comparative assessment of how technological innovation and renewable energy adoption affect the carbon footprint of food supply chains (CFFSC) in both developed and developing economies—an area that remains underexplored in existing literature. Unlike prior research that often isolates these variables or focuses on a single group of countries, our approach captures the interactive and context‐specific dynamics of innovation, energy mix, and sustainability outcomes. Using a panel dataset and applying robust econometric methods including FMOLS, DOLS, and PMG estimators, we find that technological innovation significantly reduces CFFSC, particularly through improvements in production and distribution efficiency. Renewable energy usage also mitigates emissions, while non‐renewable energy sources have the opposite effect. The impact of GDP growth diverges: it reduces emissions in developed countries but exacerbates them in developing ones, reflecting differing levels of technological maturity and infrastructure. Additionally, while industrial activity increases emissions in developing regions, better transportation infrastructure generally contributes to emission reductions in developed economies. These findings underscore the importance of context‐aware, multi‐sectoral policy interventions to promote sustainable practices across global food supply chains.