Geopolitical risk, economic uncertainty, and militarization: Significant agents of energy consumption and environmental quality

This study estimates the unattended linkages from geopolitical risk (GPRI), economic uncertainty (EUI), and militarization (GMI) to environmental quality through production-based CO2 emissions, primary energy consumption, and GHG emissions. For this purpose, the study consumes data from Brazil, China, India, Russia, and South Africa (BRICS) between 2000 and 2021. Using the updated econometric algorithms, the continuously updated and fully modified (CupFM) and continuously updated and bias-corrected (CupBC), the results infer that both GPRI and GMI are degrading the environmental quality. In contrast, economic uncertainty tends to decline environmental degradation, energy usage, and greenhouse gas emissions in the long run. Similarly, economic growth and population both have negative responses to environmental degradation. The causal dimensions have explored that GPRI and EUI have bidirectional while GMI has unidirectionally Granger causes the environment. Similarly, EUI is bidirectionally, while GMI unidirectionally causes energy consumption. The study results discussed various policies based on GPRI, EUI, and GMI outcomes to improve the environmental quality for sustainable development.