Work

Zero Emissions and Zero Unemployment: A Feasible Future or Conflicting Objectives?

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Achieving high economic growth along with low unemployment rates and better environmental quality presents a key challenge for economic policy. The study investigates the validity of the Environmental Phillips Curve (EPC) and Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) hypotheses in India. This study utilizes a range of econometric methodologies, encompassing the Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) model, the combined cointegration test, and the Toda-Yamamoto causality test, to analyze annual time series data spanning the period from 1991 to 2022. The findings confirm the validity of the EPC in both the long- and short-run. However, the evidence does not provide strong support for the EKC hypothesis. Among control variables, capital formation and GDP per capita has adverse impacts on environmental quality, while renewable energy consumption has no significant impact. For India, with the world's largest young population, environmentally friendly job creation is crucial. Developing energy-efficient technologies and increasing investment in renewables are key to balancing zero-emission and zero-unemployment goals.

Source: International Journal of Energy Economics and Policy

DOI: 10.32479/ijeep.19087

Authors: Aamir Ahmad Teeli, Ch. Sankar Rao, Aaqif Rashid Lone, Hassen Soltani, Ousama Ben-Salha

Institutions: Central University of Tamil Nadu, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Bhopal, University of Bisha, Northern Border University

Language: English

Topic: Energy, Environment, Economic Growth

Subfield: Economics and Econometrics

Field: Economics, Econometrics and Finance

Domain: Social Sciences

SDGs: Decent work and economic growth, Climate action

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $590