The role of information and communication technology in encountering environmental degradation: Proposing an SDG framework for the BRICS countries

Fengsheng Chien, Ahsan Anwar, Ching-Chi Hsu, Arshian Sharif (), Asif Razzaq and Avik Sinha

Technology in Society, 2021, vol. 65, issue C

Abstract: Sustainability through information and communication technologies is a complex matter, raising interesting debate among researchers. Pursuing the same, this research investigates the impact of information and communication technologies, economic growth, and financial development on carbon dioxide emissions by simultaneously testing the Environmental Kuznets curve (EKC) hypothesis in BRICS countries. In doing so, this study employs Methods of Moments - Quantile Regression, which confirms that the effects of the explanatory variables vary across different quantiles of carbon dioxide emissions. The overall results indicate that economic growth and financial development contribute to carbon dioxide emissions across all quantiles, while information and communication technologies significantly mitigate the level of carbon dioxide emissions only at lower emissions quantiles. Moreover, the results confirm the presence of the EKC hypothesis. Interestingly, the effect of economic growth and information and communication technologies on carbon dioxide emissions is lowest in magnitude at lower quantiles and highest at higher quantiles of carbon dioxide emissions. The empirical findings of DH panel heterogenous causality test confirm bidirectional causality between the model parameters, indicating that any policy intervention concerning explanatory variables significantly causes carbon dioxide emissions and vice versa. The results set out the foundation for policymakers to devise a policy framework to attain the objectives of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Keywords: ICT; Financial development; EKC hypothesis; CO2 emissions; BRICS; MMQR (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (91)

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Working Paper: The role of information and communication technology in encountering environmental degradation: Proposing an SDG framework for the BRICS countries (2021)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:teinso:v:65:y:2021:i:c:s0160791x21000622

DOI: 10.1016/j.techsoc.2021.101587

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