Greening the knowledge-based economies: Harnessing natural resources and innovation in information and communication technologies for green growth

Abstract

The quest for green growth through the sustainable use of natural resources (NRs) and innovation in information and communication technologies (IICTs) has gained the utmost significance in the modern era, and the knowledge-based economies (KBEs) have been at the leading edge of embracing sustainable methods for accomplishing sustainable development objectives. However, the relationship between NRs, IICTs, and green growth remain unexplored. This study evaluates the impact of IICTs and NRs, alongside other key factors such as contractionary export policy (CEP), expansionary export policy (EEP), fossil fuels consumption (FFC), the labor force (LF), and gross fixed capital formation (GFCF) on green growth. Findings confirm that IICTs, NRs, GFCF, LF, and EEP positively affect green growth. The current research employs Slope homogeneity test, cross-sectional dependency test, Westerlund and Edgerton cointegration test, and cross-sectional augmented autoregressive distributed lag estimator to achieve the study's objective. These results highlight the significance of integrating environmentally conscious procedures and relying on technological advances within the information and communication technology sector to promote green development and ecological integrity. In addition, the study indicates that a growing reliance on FFC and the implementation of CEP harm green growth, underscoring the necessity of moving to renewable energy sources and promoting favorable trade policies. This study suggests that policymakers should emphasize IICTs, effective NRs management, GFCF, labor skills, EEP, and the transition to greener energy. Moreover, they should incorporate ecological factors in their trade practices to reconcile economic growth with sustainability goals.