Do Public-Private Partnership Investment in Energy and Technological Transfers Improve Environmental Quality To Achieve Sustainable Environment Agenda: Evidence From Pakistan

This paper tries to find the relationship among economic growth (GDP), import (IMP), export (EXP), public-private partnership investment (PPPG), and technological changes (TEC) on carbon-based CO 2 emissions under the Environment Kuznets curve (EKC) premises during the period of 1980-2019 for Pakistan. This study employed various unit root tests that have been designed, such as Augmented Dickey and Fuller (ADF), ARDL co-integration tests, FMOLS, and DOLS estimation techniques. The results indicate that all the variables are co-integrated and have a short-run association among them. The results of DOLS and FOMLS indicate that CO 2 emissions significantly increase due to increases in economic growth. This study also verified the EKC hypothesis and the findings of the study support the EKC hypothesis for Pakistan. CO 2 emissions are significantly decreased by increases in the share of technological innovation, and consumption-based carbon emissions are increased by the share of the trade and public-private investment in energy. The study results suggested that a reduction in the use of non-renewable energy through public-private investment and the use of renewable energy sources is related to energy efficiency policies. The consumption of non-renewable energy sources is high in Pakistan, as compared to renewable energy sources. Appropriate policy tools have been recommended to researchers and policymakers to minimize the harmful effect of global climate change and warming. Thus, environment quality can be enhanced through effective energy policies, sensible saving energy policies, optimized structural changes in the energy sector through effective government policies.