Evans Yeboah

With the high rate of deforestation and forest degradation in both rural and urban Uganda, understanding societal (youth) opinions regarding the state of affairs is vital. This study examined preferred ecosystems services and perceived satisfaction with the urban forestry and green spaces on urban livelihood, welfare, resilience, and environmental sustainability in four Ugandan cities: Kampala, Fort Portal, Mbarara, and Gulu. It explored the factors associated with youth satisfaction regarding the number of urban green spaces and parks. This study surveyed 501 responses using an online questionnaire, which were subjected to descriptive and ordered logit regression analysis. Descriptive results revealed that, whereas about 66% of participants expressed satisfaction with current urban parks, about 70% were keenly engaged in urban initiatives. A noteworthy 99% of the respondents expressed support for increased investment in green spaces and parks. The regression results demonstrated that Ugandan youths’ satisfaction with city green spaces and parks is predominantly driven by quality over quantity. A preference for biodiversity services was positively and very significantly connected to public satisfaction with the number of greenery spaces. On the contrary, a preference for air quality benefits echoed un-met ecological prospects, leading to lower satisfaction. Youths’ quality expectations appeared as the single most powerful predictor of satisfaction. Likewise, vigorous public participation in tree planting, vibrant youth outdoor engagement, and women’s involvement positively and significantly enhanced public satisfaction with the number of greenery spaces. Ultimately, urban investments and environmental awareness campaigns did not directly relate to satisfaction. Apart from income, demographics did not show any significant association with satisfaction. Urban planners in Uganda ought to focus on society-centered, biodiversity-rich, and functionally maintained urban forestry strategies.

Whereas agroforestry has emerged as a vital Nature-Based Solution (NBS) in the face of climate change, it is yet to be fully embraced in many parts of the world including Uganda. Therefore, understanding the various dynamics surrounding agroforestry adaptation such as the associated benefits and drivers is equally important. The study aimed to explore perceptions and preferences for agroforestry benefits from both ecological and socioeconomic aspects in Uganda. The study employed a non-probability convenience online survey and a total of n = 1138 responses were collected and subjected to descriptive and binary regression analysis. Assessment of agroforestry benefits demonstrated very high ecological preferences. The socioeconomic factors of wood fuel, forest incomes, and forest food and fruits ranked moderately. The models showed a consistent cluster of positive relations among provisioning/protection outlooks of forest food and fruits, water protection and soil conservation services. Moreover, the trade-offs between livelihood dependency for wood fuel/firewood energy, forest income and conservation attitudes (saving nature) were observed. The demographics characteristics (age and gender) were mainly not significant across most models. The efforts of the government of Uganda had a positive and very significant correlation with a preference for wood fuel, indicating policy problems. The study outcomes not only provide a strong case for future studies regarding agroforestry benefits but also offer insights for policy advice such as integrated approaches in agroforestry systems in Uganda.

Foreign direct investment (FDI) is a global catalyst for economic growth. However, its effects, particularly on domestic investment (DI), have been inconclusive. This study examines the impact of FDI on DI using a panel dataset from 2011 to 2022 across countries from developed and developing economies, employing a Dynamic Fixed Effect Panel ARDL to assess the long- and short-run effects with error correction models (ECMs) for short-term and long-run equilibrium robustness. Cointegration among variables is established using the Pedroni and Kao cointegration tests. Past DI significantly influences current investment decisions in both economies, while in developing economies, FDI has a substantial negative long-term effect, such that a 1% increase in FDI inflows reduces DI by 0.05%, whereas economic growth and institutional quality also have significant positive long-term effects, with a 1% increase in these variables raising DI by 3.8% and 0.5%, respectively, holding other factors constant. Technology transfer shows an immediate complementary effect to DI in both economies. The impact of FDI on DI is highly context-dependent, with divergent outcomes attributable to structural and institutional factors. Policy should treat FDI as a conditional catalyst, not a substitute for DI. Governments need to tightly align FDI attraction with DI promotion, institutional reforms, and proactive technology transfer policies to counteract the mild long-run effect on DI, while harnessing the substantial gains for growth and institutional quality.

Motives: Carbon emissions in the world’s major emitting economies remain high despite progress in renewable energy deployment and institutional reforms. Investigating how industrial activity, population growth, foreign investment, and governance shape emission trends is important for developing effective environmental policies. Aim: This study investigates the determinants of carbon dioxide emissions in ten high-emitting economies from 1995 to 2023 using the Pooled Mean Group Autoregressive Distributed Lag (PMG-ARDL) and the Dynamic Common Correlated Effects estimator (DCCE), which capture both long-run equilibrium relationships and short-run dynamics while accounting for cross-country interdependence. Results: Renewable energy consistently reduces emissions in both the short and long run. Manufacturing and research activity increase emissions, reflecting carbon-intensive industrial and innovation processes. Population growth reduces emissions in the long run, suggesting demographic-related efficiency gains. Foreign direct investment alone lowers emissions, but its interaction with regulatory quality raises emissions, showing that weak institutional frameworks can offset environmental progress. These findings support coordinated industrial, investment, and governance policies to achieve sustainable reductions in emissions in high-emitting economies.

This study investigates the drivers of income‐based inclusive economic growth in 14 Sub‐Saharan African countries from 2000 to 2023, focusing on investment, employment, trade openness, population growth, inflation, and foreign direct investment. Using panel econometric techniques, including the pooled mean group estimator, its nonlinear autoregressive distributed lag extension, and the dynamic common correlated effects estimator, the analysis captures long‐ and short‐run dynamics, as well as asymmetric and interaction effects. The findings indicate that foreign direct investment is positively associated with per capita income growth, with its growth‐enhancing effect strengthened in more open economies. Population growth constrains long‐run per capita income growth, while domestic investment exhibits uneven effects, highlighting the importance of capital allocation efficiency. Short‐run dynamics suggest that reductions in unemployment and targeted capital inflows support short‐term economic performance. Overall, the results provide evidence for policy interventions that can support income growth and employment creation, thereby contributing to the income‐related dimension of Sustainable Development Goal 8 in the region.

This study investigates the effects of domestic investment, trade openness, inflation, and electricity access on economic growth in nine ECOWAS countries from 2000 to 2023. Pooled mean group autoregressive distributed lag (PMG‐ARDL) and nonlinear pooled mean group autoregressive distributed lag (PMG‐NARDL) models are applied to capture long‐run relationships and asymmetric adjustments. Results show that domestic investment supports income growth, but its effect weakens when combined with electricity access, reflecting infrastructure inefficiencies. Trade openness produces mixed outcomes: linear estimates indicate a negative long‐run link, while nonlinear results reveal that increases in openness stimulate growth, whereas contractions reduce income. Inflation also behaves asymmetrically, as disinflation enhances growth while rising inflation exerts weaker adverse effects. The trade–inflation interaction suggests that inflation may ease some negative impacts of trade exposure. Foreign direct investment displays asymmetry as well, with declines associated with stronger growth, possibly due to greater domestic resource mobilization. Unemployment and population growth produce inconsistent effects across models. By applying linear and nonlinear panel ARDL methods, this study evaluates macroeconomic and structural drivers of growth in West Africa. The findings point to reforms in electricity infrastructure, balanced trade liberalization, and inflation stabilization to sustain growth in ECOWAS economies.

This study investigates the impact of investment and trade on economic performance in ECOWAS countries, focusing on GDP per capita, foreign direct investment (FDI), and trade openness from 1993 to 2022. Employing pooled mean group (PMG) and nonlinear autoregressive distributed lag (NARDL) methods, the analysis incorporates gross capital formation, unemployment, population growth, labor force participation, external debt, and merchandise trade. The PMG results indicate that, in the long run, population growth, labor force participation, unemployment, merchandise trade, and FDI negatively affect economic growth, while gross capital formation and trade openness exert positive effects. External debt has no significant long-run impact. In the short run, gross capital formation, unemployment, and labor force participation reduce growth, whereas merchandise trade contributes positively. The NARDL results reveal asymmetries: Both increases and decreases in FDI reduce growth, and changes in gross capital formation also inhibit growth. Reductions in merchandise trade and unemployment lower economic performance, while both increases and reductions in trade openness unexpectedly enhance it. Expansion in merchandise trade supports growth. In the short run, increases in FDI improve economic performance. The panel causality analysis identifies unidirectional relationships between GDP per capita, trade openness, external debt, labor force participation, FDI, and unemployment. A bidirectional causal relationship was found between GDP per capita, merchandise trade, gross capital formation, and population growth. The study recommends prioritizing trade liberalization, improving the quality of FDI, and implementing sustainable debt management strategies.

This study examines the economic recovery and resilience of eleven European Union member states after the COVID-19 pandemic, using annual data from 1990 to 2022. It applies a multi-method approach, combining the Pooled Mean Group (PMG) estimator, Nonlinear Autoregressive Distributed Lag (NARDL) model, and Common Correlated Effects Estimator to analyze long- and short-run relationships. The findings show that, in the long run, inflation and mobile cellular subscriptions slow growth, while greenhouse gas emissions have a positive effect. Youth unemployment, labor force participation, trade openness, population growth, and foreign direct investment (FDI) do not show significant effects. In the short run, inflation and mobile subscriptions remain negative, while emissions continue to support growth. PMG results confirm that labor force participation, inflation, and mobile subscriptions reduce long-term growth, whereas population growth, trade openness, and emissions contribute positively. The NARDL model finds uneven effects of FDI, inflation, population growth, and trade openness, with short-run imbalances in inflation and trade openness. Causality analysis shows two-way links between inflation, trade openness, youth unemployment, and GDP growth, while one-way effects are observed for greenhouse gas emissions, population growth, and mobile subscriptions. These results help shape post-pandemic economic policies, emphasizing the importance of managing inflation and improving mobile connectivity to support long-term growth.