The efficient use of energy contributes to less energy consumption and the reduction of greenhouse gases released to nature, thus improving environmental sustainability. For this reason, many countries pioneered by the developed nations are trying to develop policies for energy efficiency. In this context, the relationship between energy efficiency and greenhouse gas emissions was tested by panel co-integration, panel causality, and FMOLS and DOLS analysis. Given that the study used the datasets of 29 European countries over the period 1995-2016, there result suggests that there is a long-term relationship between energy efficiency and greenhouse gas emissions and that the quantity of greenhouse gas emission decreases as energy efficiency increases. Finally, the robustness and novelty by employing the Emirmahmutoglu & Kose (2011) Testing for Granger causality in heterogeneous mixed panels. Economic Modelling, 28(3), 870-876 approach, the findings illustrated that there is a causal relationship between energy efficiency and greenhouse gas emissions for many European countries. Overall, the current study presents a relevant policy direction for the European bloc countries.

With the increasing challenge of attaining sustainable balance in socioeconomic-ecosystem activities, the aspects of the global goals are continously being harnesed in order to ensure a sustainable interaction. As an alliance of the United Nations, the G-20 member countries have not only committed to attaining the Sustainable Development Goals 2030, the alliance body has further fostered frameworks that are targeted at advancing global economic and environmental sustainability. Within this context, the current study examined the environmental sustainability effects arising from the economic freedom prowess in the panel of the G-20 economies over the period 2000–2016. Among the sparse studies, the study employed the indices of economic freedom: freedom to trade internationally, regulation, sound money, legal framework, and property right and alongside the real income and renewable energy consumption as explanatory indicators. With the result of the difference- and two-step system GMM (generalized method of moments), the legal system and property right, sound money, freedom to international trade, and regulatory efficiency are detrimental to the panel countries’ environmental quality. Although this is likely to be untrue for countries that have advanced their climate actions and especially the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 2030, it suggests a dearth in the SDGs achievement among the developing and emerging economies. Moreover, it probably shows the depth of traditional or business-as-usual practices (such as the lack of sustainable economic and environmental practices) and the socioeconomic system that are obtainable in most of the developing and emerging economies. Thus, the study put forward tangible policies that are essential for governance and toward attaining desirable country-specific SDGs.

No abstract

No abstract

PurposeThe recent dynamics of trade policy, especially that is associated with the United States of America (USA) and China, has not only triggered policy adjustments in two economies, it has also implied an uncertainty spillover to other economies across the globe. Consequently, the current study attempts to examine the effect of uncertainties in the USA–China trade policies on stock market indexes. In addition, the cointegration evidence between the USA–China trade policy uncertainty index and of the leading Global South fragile quintet (Brazil, Indonesia, South Africa, India and Turkey) stock market indices is investigated.Design/methodology/approachMainly, the FMOLS and DOLS Granger causality analysis with cointegration coefficient estimators were employed for the dataset over the monthly data period of March 2003 and July 2019.FindingsAccordingly, the study found a long-term relationship between the USA–China Trade Policy Uncertainty index and the stock exchange indexes. In addition, a causal relationship was established from the change in the USA–China Trade Policy Uncertainty index to the change in the stock market indexes of almost all of the examined countries (Brazil, Indonesia, South Africa, India and Turkey). In addition, the nonlinear Autoregressive Distributed Lag approach further offers evidence of asymmetric relationship among the examined indicators.Originality/valueMoreover, this study contributed to the existing literature because it employed the indexes of BIST100, BOVESPA, BSE Sensex 30, IDX Composite and South Africa 40 in a novel approach. Thus, the study posited a useful policy guideline for associated economic uncertainties arising from the trade dispute, such as the case of the world’s two largest trading giants or partners (i.e. the USA and China).