The purpose of this study was to examine the nexus amid economic growth, energy consumption and carbon emissions in G20 countries for the period 1992 to 2014. In order to obtain valid and reliable outcomes, more robust econometric techniques were employed. From the results, the studied panel was heterogeneous and cross-sectionally dependent. Also, the series of observed variables were first-differenced stationary and co-integrated. The key findings from the CCEMG and the AMG regression estimators adopted showed that economic growth and energy consumption promoted the emission of carbon in the countries. In addition, urbanization and foreign direct investments as control variables escalated the rate of the countries’ CO2 emissions. From the discoveries of the Dumitrescu and Hurlin panel causality test, a feedback causality between economic growth and CO2 emissions; energy consumption and CO2 emissions; and between urbanization and CO2 emissions were correspondingly unveiled. Howerver, a one-way caual link was evidenced from foreign direct investments to CO2 emissions. This exploration is vital because it will propel the countries to formulate policies that could help them to minimize their dependence on environmentally unfriendly energy sources, while promoting the usage of clean energies like solar, wind, biogas, biomass and hydropower among others. The study is also pertinent because it will aid the countries to plan, organize and implement environmental policies in compliance to their macroeconomic objectives. When this is accomplished, energy conservation policies implemented to minimize the emanation of CO2 will improve the countries’ economic growth.

This study investigated the link between energy consumption (EC), foreign direct investments (FDI), urbanization (URB) and CO2 emissions in the emerging seven (E7) countries for the period 1991 to 2014. The exploration made a methodological contribution by employing modern econometric methods that are robust to the issues of cross-sectional dependence and slope heterogeneity, so as to obtain valid and reliable outcomes. From the results, the panel under consideration was heterogeneous and cross-sectionally correlated. Also, the series were first differenced stationary and cointegrated in the long-run. The DCCEMG and the DCCEPMG estimators were engaged to explore the long-run elastic effects of the covariates on the response variable, and from the results, EC and URB were key promoters of CO2 effusions in the countries. However, FDI mitigated the emanation of CO2 in the nations. Additionally, economic growth (GDP) and population growth (POP) escalated the emittance of CO2 in the E7. On the D-H causality test outcomes, a feedback causality amid POP and CO2 effusions; GDP and CO2 excretions; FDI and CO2 emissivities; and between URB and CO2 secretions were discovered. Finally, a one-way causation from URB to the effluents of CO2 was unfolded. Based on the verdicts, policy suggestions were proposed to help abate the rate of CO2 exudations in the countries.

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