Reassessing the environmental Kuznets curve in SAARC countries for various pollutants

This article evaluates the Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) theory in the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) countries for greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, namely, Carbon dioxide emissions (CO 2 ), Methane emissions (CH 4 ), Sulphur dioxide emissions (SO 2 ), Nitrogen oxide emissions (NO x ), and ecological footprint (EF). Therefore, this study uses the Panel Corrected Standard Error (PCSE) technique to analyze the association between the EKC and GHG emissions in SAARC countries, namely, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka, from 1990 to 2022. Also, the Dumitrescu and Hurlin method was used to determine causality among the variables. Additionally, this study aims to achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 8 and 13. The results did not show the presence of the EKC. Results suggest that SAARC nations should prioritize pro-environmental growth to reduce environmental losses in economic development. Likewise, findings show that increased energy use has a significant positive effect on all pollutants, except CH 4 . Population negatively affects CO 2 and EF, but positively affects CH 4 , SO 2 , and NO x . Moreover, trade decreases CH 4 and NO x , and has a beneficial effect on CO 2 , SO 2 , and EF. In light of these findings, the study highlights the need for policies that promote energy efficiency, encourage the adoption of cleaner fuels, and expand renewable energy initiatives, as these measures can help reduce environmental degradation driven by rising energy demand and economic growth.