Modelling the impact of energy consumption, natural resources, and urbanization on ecological footprint in south africa: Assessing the moderating role of human capital

Nathaniel S.P. Bekun F.V. Faizulayev A.
2021 Econjournals

International Journal of Energy Economics and Policy
2021 #11 Issue 3 130 - 139 pp.

Apart from being the most urbanized and largest emitter of CO₂ emissions in Africa, South Africa currently harbours an ecological deficit territory mainly due to its desire to attain more growth with less attention to its natural environment. Since environmental distortions are mainly an outcome of human activities, this study becomes the first to investigate the linkage between natural resource (NR), human capital, energy consumption, and ecological footprint (EF) in South Africa. Findings from the long-run results reveal that energy consumption, natural resource, economic growth, and urbanization add to the EF, while human capital curtails environmental deterioration. The interaction between human capital and urbanization helps in mitigating environmental degradation, which suggests a moderating effect of human capital in urban sustainability. The CCR, DOLS and FMOLS confirm the robustness of the findings. A feedback causality exists between natural resource and economic growth, and between economic growth and EF. Natural resources and urbanization also Granger cause EF. Lastly, policies relating to urban and natural resource sustainability and human capital development are discussed.

Ecological Footprint , Energy Consumption , Human Capital , Natural Resource , South Africa , Urbanization

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University of Lagos, Akoka, Nigeria
Lagos State University, School of Foundation, Badagry, Nigeria
Faculty of Economics Administrative and Social Sciences, Istanbul Gelisim University, Istanbul, Turkey
Bang College of Business, KIMEP University, Almaty, Kazakhstan

University of Lagos
Lagos State University
Faculty of Economics Administrative and Social Sciences
Bang College of Business

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