The impression of technological innovations and natural resources in energy-growth-environment nexus: A new look into BRICS economies

We utilize extended STIRPAT (stochastic impact of regression on population, affluence, and technology) model to explore the impact of technological innovations and natural resources in energy-growth-environment nexus for a panel of BRICS (i.e., Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) economies over 1985-2014. Using Augmented Mean Group (AMG), and Fully Modified-Least Square (FM-LS) panel algorithms, the results indicate that technical innovations can reduce CO2 emissions and help to improve economic growth in BRICS countries. Furthermore, our estimates support energy push emissions and validate the existence of the traditional environmental Kuznets curve (EKC) for BRICS and partially across the countries. Moreover, the empirical results indicate one-way causality from income to CO2; a two-way causal relationship is operational between income and energy use and between energy use and CO2 emissions in BRICS and individual countries. The results suggest that policymakers may consider the role of innovations as a clean source of technology to achieve energy security and a sustainable environment. (C) 2020 Published by Elsevier B.V.