The role of financial inclusion and technological innovation in stimulating environmental sustainability in the European countries: A new perspective based on load capacity factor

Abstract

Given the alarming level of climate change, policymakers across the globe are seeking strategies to mitigate environmental pollution to achieve sustainable development. In this context, renewable energy and technological advancements have emerged as an effective way to lower pollution and attain sustainable development. This study evaluates the effect of financial inclusion, technological innovation, and renewable energy on the load capacity factor (LCF) in European countries from 2004 to 2018. LCF is considered the most comprehensive indicator of ecological sustainability, combining both the biocapacity factor and ecological footprint. Hence, the present work fills the literature gap by exploring, for the first time, the effect of financial inclusion on the LCF. Applying the advanced Method of Moment Quantile Regression (MMQR), the study demonstrates that technological innovation and economic growth have adverse effects on LCF while renewable energy and financial inclusion promote LCF. The study indicates that technological innovation and economic growth undermine ecological excellence in European nations while green energy and financial inclusion enhance it. Moreover, the findings of the causality analysis reveal a causal association between financial inclusion, renewable energy, and LCF. Our study recommends prioritizing financial inclusion alongside investments in renewable energy to enhance ecological sustainability.