The linkages among natural resources, renewable energy consumption, and environmental quality: A path toward sustainable development

Abstract

Abstract The role of education is inevitable in the process of societal reform and achieving sustainable development. Sustainable development remains unachievable without advancing the environmental quality. It is noteworthy to explore the relationship between natural resources, renewable energy consumption, and environmental quality. The current study analyzes the impact of renewable energy use, natural resources abundance, and education on environmental quality by controlling the role of financial development and economic growth within selected Asian countries from 1990 to 2018. The study focuses on second‐generation unit root and co‐integration methods that control the heterogeneity in the data. Empirical results inferred that any expansion in education rate and renewable energy enhances environmental quality. Natural resource abundance increases the level of carbon emissions. The results of Dumitrescu and Hurlin panel causality ensure a bidirectional link between financial development and emissions as well as renewable energy and emissions. The findings furnish important policy implications by furnishing empirical evidence from Asian countries.