Nonrenewable energy-environmental and health effects on human capital: empirical evidence from Pakistan

Environ Sci Pollut Res Int. 2020 Jan;27(3):2630-2646. doi: 10.1007/s11356-019-06686-7. Epub 2019 Dec 13.

Abstract

This research work reconnoiters the impact of nonrenewable energy (NRE) consumptions, environmental pollution, and mortality rate on human capital in the presence of economic growth and two common diseases, measles and tuberculosis (TB) in Pakistan. The study uses data from 1995 to 2017 and employs the Autoregressive Distributive Lag (ARDL) model to investigate cointegration and long-run dynamics. Results indicate that nonrenewable energy (oil, coal, and gas) increase air pollution, measles, TB cases, and mortality rate, which affect the human capital in Pakistan. The results of the ARDL confirm the long-run and short-run effects of fossils fuels, air pollution, and diseases on human capital. The results of the Granger Causality confirm the feedback hypothesis between nonrenewable consumption and human capital, between air pollution and human capital. Measles and TB diseases Granger cause human capital. The study recommends some essential points for energy management, environmental management, and diseases control programs to uplift the human capital in Pakistan.

Keywords: CO2 emissions; Economic growth; Human capital; Nonrenewable energy; Pakistan.

MeSH terms

  • Air Pollution*
  • Carbon Dioxide
  • Coal
  • Economic Development*
  • Environmental Exposure*
  • Humans
  • Pakistan

Substances

  • Coal
  • Carbon Dioxide