The dynamic impact of renewable energy consumption and financial development on CO2 emissions: For selected African countries

This empirical study examines the impact of economic growth, renewable energy, energy consumption, financial developments, trade openness, and urbanization growth on CO2 emissions using the Pooled Mean Group (PMG) approach and Granger Causality in the EKC model a data set of 25 African countries over the period 1985-2015. The results showed that increases in renewable energy consumption and trade openness decrease CO2 emissions, and the EKC hypothesis is supported for the African countries. Granger's causality results indicated the presence of bidirectional causality between economic growth and financial development and CO2 emissions. These results could support policymakers manage financial development and consider clean investments and other ecological aspects for sustainable urban development. The causality tests showed a unidirectional causality running from renewable energy consumption to CO2 emissions in African countries.