Exploring the impact of education on sustainable resource efficiency: the interplay with CO2 emissions, renewable energy, and agriculture in G20 nations

This study investigates how key environmental and socioeconomic factors influence educational development capacity in G20 countries over the period 2000–2022. Specifically, it examines the impacts of carbon emissions (CE), freshwater stress (FWS), agriculture, forestry, and fisheries output (AFF), r...

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Main Authors: Zhao Zhiying, Zhanglin Sidi
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2025-06-01
Series:Frontiers in Environmental Science
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fenvs.2025.1623978/full
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author Zhao Zhiying
Zhanglin Sidi
author_facet Zhao Zhiying
Zhanglin Sidi
author_sort Zhao Zhiying
collection DOAJ
description This study investigates how key environmental and socioeconomic factors influence educational development capacity in G20 countries over the period 2000–2022. Specifically, it examines the impacts of carbon emissions (CE), freshwater stress (FWS), agriculture, forestry, and fisheries output (AFF), renewable energy use (RE), financial inclusion (FIN), and government education expenditure (GEE) on primary school enrollment (EDC). Using the Method of Moments Quantile Regression (MMQR), the study captures the heterogeneous effects of these variables across the conditional distribution of EDC, offering a nuanced understanding beyond average outcomes. Robustness checks—including matrix correlation, slope heterogeneity, cross-sectional dependence (CSD), CIPS unit root tests, and Westerlund cointegration analysis—ensure the reliability of results. Empirical findings reveal that CE and FWS are negatively associated with EDC across all quantiles, while RE, FIN, and GEE show significant positive effects, particularly at higher quantiles. AFF has a more limited impact, becoming significant only in better-performing segments. These insights highlight the multidimensional nature of education and underscore the importance of integrated environmental and financial policies to enhance human capital formation. The study offers actionable recommendations aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 4 (Quality Education), SDG 13 (Climate Action), and SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation).
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spelling doaj-art-9fe3e70b72e6457c9e021b4e56897ede2025-08-20T02:35:48ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Environmental Science2296-665X2025-06-011310.3389/fenvs.2025.16239781623978Exploring the impact of education on sustainable resource efficiency: the interplay with CO2 emissions, renewable energy, and agriculture in G20 nationsZhao Zhiying0Zhanglin Sidi1Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, JapanDepartment of Economics, Putian University, Putian, ChinaThis study investigates how key environmental and socioeconomic factors influence educational development capacity in G20 countries over the period 2000–2022. Specifically, it examines the impacts of carbon emissions (CE), freshwater stress (FWS), agriculture, forestry, and fisheries output (AFF), renewable energy use (RE), financial inclusion (FIN), and government education expenditure (GEE) on primary school enrollment (EDC). Using the Method of Moments Quantile Regression (MMQR), the study captures the heterogeneous effects of these variables across the conditional distribution of EDC, offering a nuanced understanding beyond average outcomes. Robustness checks—including matrix correlation, slope heterogeneity, cross-sectional dependence (CSD), CIPS unit root tests, and Westerlund cointegration analysis—ensure the reliability of results. Empirical findings reveal that CE and FWS are negatively associated with EDC across all quantiles, while RE, FIN, and GEE show significant positive effects, particularly at higher quantiles. AFF has a more limited impact, becoming significant only in better-performing segments. These insights highlight the multidimensional nature of education and underscore the importance of integrated environmental and financial policies to enhance human capital formation. The study offers actionable recommendations aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 4 (Quality Education), SDG 13 (Climate Action), and SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation).https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fenvs.2025.1623978/fulleducationsustainable resource managementfinancial inclusionCO2 emissionsrenewable energyG20 countries
spellingShingle Zhao Zhiying
Zhanglin Sidi
Exploring the impact of education on sustainable resource efficiency: the interplay with CO2 emissions, renewable energy, and agriculture in G20 nations
Frontiers in Environmental Science
education
sustainable resource management
financial inclusion
CO2 emissions
renewable energy
G20 countries
title Exploring the impact of education on sustainable resource efficiency: the interplay with CO2 emissions, renewable energy, and agriculture in G20 nations
title_full Exploring the impact of education on sustainable resource efficiency: the interplay with CO2 emissions, renewable energy, and agriculture in G20 nations
title_fullStr Exploring the impact of education on sustainable resource efficiency: the interplay with CO2 emissions, renewable energy, and agriculture in G20 nations
title_full_unstemmed Exploring the impact of education on sustainable resource efficiency: the interplay with CO2 emissions, renewable energy, and agriculture in G20 nations
title_short Exploring the impact of education on sustainable resource efficiency: the interplay with CO2 emissions, renewable energy, and agriculture in G20 nations
title_sort exploring the impact of education on sustainable resource efficiency the interplay with co2 emissions renewable energy and agriculture in g20 nations
topic education
sustainable resource management
financial inclusion
CO2 emissions
renewable energy
G20 countries
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fenvs.2025.1623978/full
work_keys_str_mv AT zhaozhiying exploringtheimpactofeducationonsustainableresourceefficiencytheinterplaywithco2emissionsrenewableenergyandagricultureing20nations
AT zhanglinsidi exploringtheimpactofeducationonsustainableresourceefficiencytheinterplaywithco2emissionsrenewableenergyandagricultureing20nations