Exploring the Roles of Education, Renewable Energy, and Global Warming on Health Expenditures

Maryam Piran (), Alireza Sharifi and Mohammad Mahdi Safari
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Maryam Piran: Department of Educational and Curriculum Management and Planning, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Shiraz University, Shiraz 71946-84334, Iran
Alireza Sharifi: Department of Surveying Engineering, Faculty of Civil Engineering, Shahid Rajaee Teacher Training University, Tehran 16788-15811, Iran
Mohammad Mahdi Safari: Geoinformatics Engineering Department, Politecnico di Milano, 20133 Milano, Italy

Sustainability, 2023, vol. 15, issue 19, 1-11

Abstract: Renewable energy sources—which are available in abundance all around us and are provided by the sun, wind, water, waste, and heat from the Earth—are replenished by nature and emit little to no greenhouse gases or pollutants into the air. This paper builds upon a preceding study that examined beliefs, perceptions, and attitudes regarding renewable energy technologies. In this study, we examine the implications renewable energy sources may have on science, technology policies, and education. This study embraced a sequential mixed-methods methodology to accomplish its objectives. The primary goal of this study was to ascertain the impact of global warming, education, and renewable energy on healthcare expenditure. In order to determine the impact of renewable energy on health care expenditure, the present research study coupled renewable energy with gross domestic product (GDP). Based on the long-term outcomes derived from our Fully Modified Ordinary Least Squares (FMOLS) and Dynamic Ordinary Least Squares (DOLS) estimators, GDP, renewable energy, and education were found to be adversely correlated with healthcare expenditure. To collect data, we conducted interview sessions, which were subsequently complemented by a survey that was completed by 400 respondents (specifically chosen research participants). We then conducted thematic analyses. The findings of this study underscore a compelling inverse relationship linking GDP, renewable energy integration, and education with healthcare spending. Regions displaying lower healthcare outlays are seemingly less strained ecologically due to their judicious utilization of renewable energy sources. Furthermore, based on our findings, a noteworthy correlation between healthcare expenditure and global warming was observed, underscoring the potential escalation of financial burdens with intensifying climate shifts. In light of our findings, advocating for the amplification of renewable energy deployment emerges as a prudent strategy to fortify public health while mitigating healthcare expenses. Augmenting investments in education acts as a pivotal lever to steer sustainable growth. It is noteworthy that the survey participants’ level of familiarity with renewable energy technology was not found to be connected to their educational backgrounds, revealing a disparity in knowledge. The prevailing unfamiliarity with sustainability principles among the respondents underscores the need for widespread awareness initiatives. This study acts as a holistic exploration of the ramifications of renewable energy on healthcare expenditure; this is intertwined with the complex tapestry of global warming and education. The implications of renewable energy reverberate across policy and practice, accentuating the urgency of sustainable energy adoption for the betterment of public health and economic resilience. Future studies should focus on conducting more nuanced assessments of socio-economic aspects and generate strategies for bridging knowledge gaps among diverse stakeholders.

Keywords: education; global warming; renewable energy; health expenditure (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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