Does Environmental Degradation and Renewable Energy Consumption Influence Health Outcomes? Evidence from Sub-Saharan Africa

Abstract

Recently, health-related issues have been attributed to some environmental factors and practices in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). These factors have further increased the high mortality rate despite increased spending on health. This study investigates the impact of environmental degradation and renewable energy consumption on the health outcomes of the population in the region. The study used a panel of 45 SSA countries from 2000 to 2019 and employed the generalized method of moments (GMM) and pooled mean group (PMG) regression analysis system. The findings reveal that increased environmental degradation in the form of CO2 emissions exposes people to health hazards, thus reducing their life expectancy. Renewable energy consumption, on the other hand, is a major contributor to the increase in life expectancy. The study recommends adopting the appropriate energy mix to reduce the consumption of non-renewable energy.