Work

The role of renewable energy use, natural resources, and technological innovation in curbing CO2 emission in BRICS economies: evidence from the method of moments quantile regression approach

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Substantial economic growth in growing countries has increased climatic difficulties in recent decades, endangering sustainability and the environmental quality. As a result, renewable energy usage, technical innovation, natural resources, and carbon pricing schemes have become important instruments for reducing the environmental impact and promotion green economic expansion. The 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the commitment to achieve carbon neutrality by 2060, and the objectives of COP-27 and 28 all depend on these strategies. However, achieving equilibrium between ecological sustainability and socioeconomic progress is a major challenge for the BRICS economies. The objective of this study is to examine the nexus between renewable-energy use (REC), natural resources, financial development, economic expansion (GDP), technological innovation (TEC), trade openness, and CO 2 emissions of BRICS nations from 1985 to 2022. Second-generation diagnostics are utilized to confirm multicollinearity, cross-sectional dependence, unit root, and co-integration test. Next, we estimate the method of moment quantile regression (MMQR) and FMOLS, DOLS, FEOLS, and Dumitrescu–Hurlin causality to check for robustness. The MMQR outcomes demonstrate that renewable energy use, nature resources, and technological innovation reduce CO 2 emissions across all quantile-levels (0.1–0.9), while financial development, economic expansion, and trade openness augment CO 2 emissions in BRICS nations. Based on these outcomes, the analysis provides several important policy-recommendations for the implementation of COP-27 and 28 commitments and SDGs 7, 9, 12, and 13.

Source: Frontiers in Environmental Science

DOI: 10.3389/fenvs.2026.1814412

Authors: Moin Uddin, Magdalena Radulescu, Palanisamy Manigandan, Loredana Tuta, T. Kamaleshwar

Institutions: Saudi Electronic University, Azerbaijan State University of Economics, Arkın Yaratıcı Sanatlar ve Tasarım Üniversitesi, Universitatea Națională de Știință și Tehnologie Politehnica București, Vel Tech Rangarajan Dr. Sagunthala R&D Institute of Science and Technology

Language: English

Topic: Energy, Environment, Economic Growth

Subfield: Economics and Econometrics

Field: Economics, Econometrics and Finance

Domain: Social Sciences

SDGs: Industry, innovation and infrastructure, Climate action, Responsible consumption and production, Affordable and clean energy, Partnerships for the goals

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $3,801