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The biofuels sustainability in transport depends on the energetic products demand and the limited resources. According to European legislation, the energy consumption in transport from renewable energy in the European Union should increase by 10% till 2020. Considering the environmental requests related to greenhouse gases reduction and a lower dependency on oil fuels stimulated more the biofuels production, this research empirically assessed the impact of energy consumption in transport based on biodiesel and bioethanol on sustainable development in terms of economic growth and greenhouse emissions. Using dynamic panel and panel vector-auto-regression models for European Union countries during 2010–2015, we proved that only the energy consumption in transport based on biodiesel had a positive impact on economic growth. The greenhouse emissions did not have any impact on economic growth while the energy consumption in transport based on bioethanol negatively affected the economic growth. The Granger causality tests on panel data indicated a bilateral relationship between economic growth and energy consumption in transport based on biodiesel and between economic growth and energy consumption in transport based on bioethanol. Given these empirical results, the energy policies should focus on the higher utilisation of biodiesel in transport in the EU.

The value added tax (VAT), as an instrument of fiscal policy, might have an important role on economic growth. This study analyzes the impact of standard VAT rate on economic growth in five Central and Eastern European countries (CEE-5) (Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Romania). Different types of panel data models (random effect model, dynamic panel and panel vector-autoregression) over 1995–2015 indicated a positive influence of VAT rate on economic growth. There is a bilateral Granger causality between economic growth and VAT rate. The Bayesian linear models indicate a positive effect of VAT rate on GDP rate only for Hungary. On short-run, the other countries register lower GDP rates when VAT rates increase. Some simulations of economic growth for 2016 and 2018 were made for each CEE-5 country under different assumptions regarding VAT rate values.

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In this paper we propose to analyze the dynamic of the relation between public debt and economic growth rate for Euro area countries by employing a wavelet approach, establishing thus both short-term and long-term correlations between these two variables. In this way we will present time-frequency dependencies between debt and economic growth and differentiate between short term and long-term effects. High levels of public debt have a negative impact on the economic output, because they entail concerns about debt sustainability. Non-linear analysis of the debt-growth nexus shows the existence of thresholds from which rising indebtedness can hamper economic growth. Using wavelet analysis, we demonstrate that there is a strong relation between public debt and economic growth, especially for high frequencies, public debt having a significant impact on economic growth in case of periods situated above 2 years for most Euro Zone member states. High debt levels can cause serious effects on fiscal stability and therefore require fiscal consolidation in order to restore economic growth. Therefore, Euro Zone member states should implement prudent debt policies and establish clear limits for debt increase, in order to comply with fiscal sustainability and ensure conditions for preserving economic growth.

The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan is an example of a country that suffers from high water scarcity. Additionally, due to the economic drivers in the country, such as phosphate and potash extraction and pharmaceutical production, the little fresh water that remains is generally polluted. The infrastructure, often antiquated in urban areas and non-existent in rural areas, also contributes to poor water conditions and to the spread of waterborne diseases. This paper examines the socioeconomic factors that contribute to diarrhea and hepatitis A on a macro level in Jordan and discusses the public-policies that government officials could use to abate those problems. Ordinary least squares time series models are used to understand the macro-level variables that impact the incidence of these diseases in Jordan. Public health expenditure has a significant impact on reducing their incidence. Furthermore, investment in sanitation facilities in rural regions is likely to reduce the number of cases of hepatitis A. Perhaps the most surprising outcome is that importation of goods and services likely results in a decrease in cases of hepatitis A. However, income has little impact on the incidence of diarrhea and hepatitis A.

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