Mahmud Hasan Riaz

Costa Rica, an emerging economy with a high reliance on renewable energy, continues to face carbon emission pressures linked to globalization, foreign investment, and economic growth. This study examines the long‐run effects of globalization, foreign direct investment, access to clean fuels and technologies for cooking, renewable energy consumption, and economic growth on CO ₂ emissions in Costa Rica. Although the country is widely recognized for its renewable energy leadership and environmental commitment, the combined role of globalization and investment in shaping emission outcomes remains underexplored. Using annual data from 1980 to 2023, the study employs dynamic ordinary least squares (DOLS), fully modified ordinary least squares (FMOLS), and canonical cointegrating regression (CCR) to ensure robust long‐run estimation. The results indicate that globalization, clean fuel access, renewable energy consumption, and economic growth significantly reduce CO ₂ emissions, supporting the effectiveness of energy transition and structural openness in improving environmental quality. In contrast, FDI increases emissions, suggesting the persistence of pollution‐intensive investment. These findings emphasize the need to reorient foreign investment toward greener activities. The study offers policy‐relevant insights to support Costa Rica's decarbonization agenda and progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Bangladesh has experienced substantial improvements in life expectancy over recent decades, yet persistent structural health risks continue to limit further gains in population longevity. This study examines the combined effects of malnutrition, air pollution, suicide mortality, non-communicable diseases (NCDs), maternal mortality, and road traffic injury mortality on life expectancy in Bangladesh using annual time-series data from 1990 to 2024. The analysis employs the Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) approach to assess both long-run equilibrium relationships and short-run dynamics, with robustness checks conducted using Fully Modified Ordinary Least Squares (FMOLS), Dynamic Ordinary Least Squares (DOLS), and Canonical Cointegrating Regression (CCR) estimators. The findings confirm a stable long-run relationship between life expectancy and the selected health risk factors. In the long run, malnutrition, NCD prevalence, maternal mortality, and road traffic injury mortality significantly reduce life expectancy, highlighting the enduring influence of biological, systemic, and injury-related health constraints. Short-run results indicate a rapid adjustment toward long-run equilibrium following health shocks, suggesting that temporary interventions affect longevity without altering underlying structural outcomes. By integrating environmental, biological, and psychological dimensions within a unified empirical framework, this study contributes to the longevity literature in developing-country contexts and offers policy-relevant insights aligned with Sustainable Development Goal 3 on good health and well-being.

This study uniquely explores the impact of militarization on carbon emissions in North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) countries from 1985 to 2019 using panel econometric techniques. NATO countries, characterized by substantial defense budgets, advanced technologies, high industrialization, and significant energy consumption, offer a unique context for examining these factors. Employing the Pooled Mean Group Autoregressive Distributed Lag (PMG-ARDL) and FMOLS models, the research analyzes the long-term and short-term dynamics across three groups: traditional NATO members (Group 1), new NATO members (Group 2), and a combined group (Group 3). Relevant variables used in the estimation are industrialization, technological innovation, energy consumption, and economic growth. Findings reveal that in Group 1, military expenditure and energy consumption significantly increase carbon emissions, while industrialization and technological innovation reduce them. In Group 2, increased military spending and industrialization reduce emissions, but energy consumption and technological innovation increase them. For Group 3, economic growth significantly drives emissions, whereas industrial advancements and selective technological innovations mitigate them. The study underscores the need for tailored environmental policies and technological advancements to reduce carbon emissions, contributing to sustainable development within military alliances. These insights are crucial for policymakers aiming to balance defense needs with environmental sustainability in NATO countries.

This study investigates the impact of natural resource exploitation, renewable energy consumption, economic growth, biocapacity, and information and communication technologies (ICT) on the ecological footprint of BRICS + nations (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, and newly joined Argentina, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and UAE) from 1991 to 2019. Using advanced econometric techniques, including FMOLS, DOLS, CCR, and GMM, the findings reveal that natural resource exploitation and economic growth exacerbate ecological degradation, whereas renewable energy and biocapacity reduce environmental pressures. ICT’s impact remains statistically insignificant in the current context. The study emphasizes the need for BRICS + nations to adopt tailored policy frameworks integrating renewable energy, promoting sustainable resource use, and enhancing biocapacity to achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 7, 12, and 13. The research offers critical insights for balancing economic growth with environmental sustainability in diverse and rapidly industrializing economies.