The impact of ecological footprint in West Africa: the role of biocapacity and renewable energy

ABSTRACT The study of ecological footprint (ECF) and its antecedents has been a popular point of deliberation among experts in recent times. However, a West African perspective is scarce. Therefore, this study analyzes the impact of tourism, renewable energy, and biocapacity in fostering or constraining the impact of ecological footprint (ECF) in West African countries. The study adopted the Fully Modified Ordinary Least Squares (FMOLS), Dynamic Ordinary Least Squares (DOLS), Pooled Mean Group (PMG) estimation, and Granger causality test for its analysis over 1995–2016. The study found that human capital, natural resources rents, tourism, and real income positively correlates with ECF. Also, biocapacity increases the ecological footprints of the region. In the short-run, the study found a unidirectional causality from ecological footprints to renewable energy consumption, human capital, urbanization but a bidirectional relationship with biocapacity and real income. The study also found a bidirectional causality from ecological footprints to all the variables in the long-run. The study recommends that countries undertake pragmatic policies and actions to prevent rising ECF per capita by minimizing overexploitation of indigenous natural resources and eco-services.