Research Information System
International Journal of Environmental Science and Technology, vol.23, no.3, 2026 (SCI-Expanded, Scopus)
One of the key challenges of developing economies is environmental sustainability, as a fast industrialization process frequently leads to the diminishing of ecological strength. Therefore, the present study explores both the mean based estimations (linear) and heterogeneous (nonlinear) effect of technological innovation, social growth (specifically human development), financial development and key macroeconomic indicators on ecological footprint and clean energy. In addition, the study examines the reciprocal relationship between clean energy and ecological footprint by uses a panel dataset consist of 41 developing belt and road countries from 1995 to 2022. Data were obtained from the world development indicators (WDI), world intellectual property organization (WIPO), international energy agency (IEA), and the united nations population division (UNPD). This study deploys simple mean based regression, quantile-on-quantile regression (QQR), quantile process estimation (QPE), and hurlin causality to analyze dynamic and heterogeneous relationship respectively, while the panel fully modified ordinary least square (FMOLS) and panel dynamic ordinary least square (DOLS) models provide the robust estimates of linear dynamic relationship. The findings indicate technological innovation, social growth, financial development and natural resources have a significantly direct positive impact on both clean energy (CE) and ecological footprint (EFP). It shows innovation, cleaner technologies, digital connectivity, awareness and financial system promotes access to green investments but also suggests this dual outcome reflects innovation transition stage which is common in developing countries. At the same time, all regions have negative significant reciprocal relationship between CE and EFP except Asia, highlighting coal and oil dependence still dominate in energy structure. Populations weaken CE adoption substantially, because population pressure competes with the need for clean energy infrastructure investment in Latin America, Europe and Asia. Comparing the results of pre- and post-BRI reveals that clean energy was more effective before the BRI, indicates a continue reliance on fossil fuels based investment. This study acknowledges certain data limitations, particularly the limited number of observations for R&D and High-tech exports, which may affect the precision of cross-country comparisons. Policymaker are encourage to adopt region specific actions, such as fostering innovation through R&D investment, public–private collaboration, and educational partnerships is crucial to reducing ecological pressure, while financial institutions must actively promote financing green bonds or green funds to achieve long term ecological resilience.