Advancing the Sustainable Development Goals Through Renewable Energy Transition, Trade Diversification, and Human Capital

Evidence From Next ‐11 Economies

Bibliographic Data

ID12307753
AuthorsMing Shao (0000-0002-7686-8784, Weifang University of Science and Technology Weifang China), Ming Xi Shao (Weifang University of Science and Technology), A Oluyemi Joseph (0009-0002-0494-8205, College of Business Economics University of Nebraska‐Lincoln Lincoln Nebraska USA, corresponding author)
Year2025
Publication date2025-12-17
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueSustainable Development (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0968-0802 • E-ISSN: 1099-1719
PublisherWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1002/sd.70528
OpenAlexW4417432357
LanguageEN
Citations received2
References cited63

Rapid economic expansion in the NEXT‐11 countries (Bangladesh, Egypt, Iran, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, the Philippines, South Korea, Turkey, and Vietnam) has intensified environmental challenges, particularly in relation to carbon emissions and resource inefficiencies. Achieving sustainable development requires identifying the structural factors that can simultaneously support economic growth and mitigate environmental degradation. This study explores the long‐run nexus among CO 2 emissions, intellectual capital (ICP), trade diversification (TRD), and the renewable energy transition (RET) in the NEXT‐11 economies from 1990 to 2022. Employing the advanced Method of Moments Quantile Regression (MMQR), the results reveal that a 1% increase in RET reduces CO 2 emissions by approximately 0.42%–0.67% across quantiles, while TRD and ICP lower emissions by 0.31%–0.55% and 0.28%–0.49%, respectively. These effects are stronger in higher‐emission quantiles, highlighting the pivotal role of clean energy, export sophistication, and human capital development in achieving environmental sustainability. Robustness checks using Fully Modified Ordinary Least Squares (FMOLS) and Dynamic Ordinary Least Squares (DOLS) validate these findings. The evidence suggests that economies with trade structures dominated by low‐value or less specialized products face heightened CO 2 emissions, whereas investments in ICP and the shift toward renewable energy enhance green growth and sustainable development outcomes. Policy implications underscore the need to integrate renewable energy, TRD, and human capital development strategies to advance the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs 7, 8, and 13)

Green growth · Greenhouse gas · Human capital · Nexus (standard · Ordinary least squares · Porter hypothesis · Renewable energy · Sustainability · Sustainable development · Economic Growth and Development · Energy, Environment, Economic Growth · Environmental Impact and Sustainability

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