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Diversified imports as catalysts for ecological footprint: examining the BRICS experience

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Abstract

In the preceding years, the rapid industrial growth in the BRICS nations has widened the scope for imported technology and other factor inputs. The literature suggests that these kinds of economic developments often exert negative pressure on the established ecosystem. In order to confirm this notion, therefore, in the present study, we examined the impact of import product diversification and import concentration on ecological footprint in the BRICS nations using the annual data ranging from 1995 to 2018. By addressing the possibility of cross-country convergence, the elasticity coefficients are calculated using the cross-sectional augmented autoregressive distributed lag procedure. Industrial value-added, technological innovations and renewable energy solutions are considered as the controlled variables. The empirical results revealed that diversified imports led to an increase in ecological footprints, whereas concentrated imports helped in controlling ecological footprints. As expected, the increased industrial production elevated ecological footprints, whereas the association between renewable energy solutions and ecological footprints is found negative and significant. Based on the association between ecological footprint and its drivers, we endorsed an SDG-based policy framework where interdependency among various SDGs is being considered.

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Notes

  1. Using the World Bank’s (2021) database, the above-mentioned figures are calculated by authors’.

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Acknowledgements

The authors of the manuscript would like to express their heartfelt condolences for Dr. Rajesh Sharma, who happened to be an excellent teacher, and scholar par excellence. In a very short span of time, he achieved the position of notable researcher in the field of energy economics, sustainability, and environment-related research domains. We acknowledge the void his untimely and sudden demise has created in our personal and professional lives and we pray to God for his noble soul to rest in peace.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Symbiosis Centre for Management Studies, Nagpur, India

    Rajesh Sharma

  2. Constituent of Symbiosis International (Deemed University), Pune, India

    Rajesh Sharma

  3. School of Management and Economics, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing, China

    Muhammad Shahbaz

  4. Institute of Business Research, University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

    Muhammad Shahbaz

  5. Department of Marketing, Institute of Management, Nirma University, Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India

    Pradeep Kautish

  6. Institute of Business Research and CFVG, University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

    Xuan Vinh Vo

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Correspondence to Muhammad Shahbaz.

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Sharma, R., Shahbaz, M., Kautish, P. et al. Diversified imports as catalysts for ecological footprint: examining the BRICS experience. Environ Dev Sustain 25, 3153–3181 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10668-022-02177-x

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