The effect of forest resources, energy efficiency, and renewable energy on environmental degradation-a comparative analysis of the less- and high-emitter sub-Saharan African countries

Environmental degradation is one of the main causes of concern in the world. There is a dilemma on policies that are devised to improve the quality of the environment with those meant to promote economic growth, since factors that foster economic growth degrade the environment. The present research seeks to examine the influence of energy efficiency, forest resources, and renewable energy among the less-emitter and high-emitter sub-Saharan African nations, for the period 1990 to 2020. The present research is significant in providing a comparative analysis of less- and high-emitter sub-Saharan African nations on this subject, hence the main novelty of the research. The panel Autoregressive distributive lag and cross-sectionally augmented autoregressive distributive methods are used for data analysis, and their results are compared and contrasted. The research presents in its findings that renewable energy, forest resources, and energy efficiency improve the environment, while economic growth distorts the environment in both regions. No asymmetries exist between the less- and high-emitter sub-Saharan African nations, on the impact of energy efficiency, economic growth, forest resources, and renewable energy to the environment. Non-renewable energy, in the high-emitter sub-Saharan African nations, degrades the environment. The policy recommendations are also given in line with the research findings.

Automated summary

This research aims to compare the differences in environmental impact of energy efficiency, forest resources, and renewable energy between low-emitter and high-emitter sub-Saharan African nations, and provide policy recommendations accordingly.