Digital Knowledge as Power: Enhancing Sustainability in Natural Resource Use

Laxmi Raj Bhatta ()

The European Journal of Applied Economics, 2026, vol. 23, issue 2, 145-160

Abstract: This study presents a comparative analysis of how natural resource consumption and information resource utilization impact economic development. The primary objective is to examine data related to climate change, CO₂ emissions, and GDP growth rate to assess the effects of natural resource exploitation. Simultaneously, digital transformation is evaluated using metrics such as internet penetration and CO₂ emissions, highlighting the dynamic evolution of information resources. For analysis, unsupervised machine learning techniques (k-means clustering) were used to derive the results. The data showed a positive relationship between CO₂ emissions and global GDP across different country clusters. Similarly, the relationship between CO₂ emissions and internet usage varies across different groups. Luxembourg and Hungary were examined separately to study this relationship. Both analyses revealed an inverse correlation between CO₂ emissions and internet users, indicating that increased internet usage does not lead to higher CO₂ emissions. Therefore, a new sustainable growth pathway is likely to promote a knowledge-based economy in the future. Further research is needed to confirm these findings.

Keywords: natural resources; informational resources; digital economy; CO₂ emissions; economic growth. (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:sng:ejae01:267

DOI: 10.5937/EJAE23-63257

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