G20 국가들의 재생에너지 확대와 디지털화가 생태학적 지속가능성에 미치는 영향

The Impact of Renewable Energy Enlargement and Digitalization on Ecological Sustainability in G20 Countries

Purpose - This study aims to examine the heterogeneity and direction of the impact of renewable energy and digitalization on ecological sustainability in G20 countries from 2003 to 2022. Design/Methodology/Approach - This study analyzes effect of renewable energy (RE) expansion and information communication technology (ICT) utilization on environmental quality by quantile, and the causality of the variables by applying panel quantile regression and panel causality test. Findings - The key research results indicate that RE improves environmental quality (EQ) in the long-run. Digitalization shows a non-linearity that improved environmental quality after a turning point. In addition, RE indicates a positive impact on environmental quality from 0.50 to 0.75 quantile, whereas ICT and ICT squared show a strong inverse phenomenon at the 0.9 quantile. Furthermore, the results of panel causality indicate that ICT variables have strong bidirectional causality with EQ, and the same causality direction appears in the relationship between RE and real GDP per capita (PRGDP). Additionally, this study confirms unidirectional causality between RE and EQ, ICT and PRGDP, and ICT and RE. Research Implications - G20 countries should continue to expand renewable energy production through ICT-based technological innovation to mitigate the negative environmental impacts of non-renewable energy.