Do green innovation, ICT, and economic complexity matter for sustainable development of BRI economies: moderating role of higher education

The research intends to enlarge the environmental economics literature by displaying the probable mechanisms between green innovation, higher education, and sustainable development. In the context of a new era, sustainability faces challenging obstacles. Many studies have looked at fundamental factors affecting CO2 emissions, while the impact of green innovation and higher education is essential but mostly ignored. This study looked at 60 Belt and Road Initiative (B.R.I.) economies to see how factors, including green innovation, economic complexity index, I.C.T., and higher education, affect carbon emissions in the presence of sustainable development using annual data from 2000-2020. In order to calculate the persistence of the connection between the factors, this research uses the CS-ARDL. The results' robustness and reliability were examined using PMG estimation. The results indicate that the economic complexity index and urbanization positively impact carbon emission (CO2). Higher education (E.D.U.) has a significant positive impact in the short run and a negative effect in the long run-on carbon emissions. Similarly, information and communication technology (I.C.T.) and green innovation have a negative impact on carbon emission (CO2). Moreover, the results indicate that the moderate effect of green innovation with economic complexity index, information and communication technology, and higher education has a negative impact on carbon emission. The estimated coefficients also provide significant policy implications for the chosen and the other developing markets in designing an adequate route ahead to a sustainable environment.