Econometric assessment of the relationship between economic growth and sustainable development in the Democratic Republic of Congo[Évaluation économétrique de la relation croissance économique - développement durable en République démocratique du Congo]

This paper addresses the issue of economic growth from a sustainable development perspective. Through appropriate econometric modeling, it relates the different dimensions of sustainable development and their effects on economic growth in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Data estimation using the Ordinary Least Square method is corrected by the Vector Error Correction Model (VECM). Correction Model"). The results show that, in the long term, the HDI and CO2 emissions have a fairly significant influence on economic growth in the DRC over the study period. If the HDI varies by 1-point, economic growth in the DRC increases by 3.261384%, while an increase in economic growth of 7.8 points leads to an increase in CO2 pollution of 1 point. Any long-term increase in production leads to an increase in CO2 emissions. There is therefore a negative influence between the economic dimension of sustainable development and the environmental dimension. Also, any long-term increase in GDP leads, all other things being equal, to an increase in the HDI, i.e. a positive change in the population's standard of living. This result shows that there is a positive influence between the social dimension of sustainable development and the economic dimension. The Congolese government therefore needs to implement an expansionist structural economic policy with a focus on environmental protection, in order to minimize the negative effects of economic growth in terms of social inequality and increased atmospheric pollution.