Global integration, human capital, and renewable energy transition: pathways to lower ecological footprints in the Horn of Africa

Ecological sustainability is an urgent concern, especially in regions facing high environmental stress. The Horn of Africa, where ecological pressures are intensifying, provides a key setting to explore the factors shaping sustainability outcomes. This study assesses the impacts of globalization, education, renewable energy transition, and trade openness on environmental sustainability from 1990 to 2023. Using the STIRPAT model, this study estimates long-run elasticities with the Driscoll – Kraay standard error (DKSE) method, and confirms robustness through FMOLS, DOLS, and CCR techniques. The findings show that economic growth and population expansion increase the ecological footprint, while globalization, education, renewable energy consumption, and trade openness help reduce environmental pressure. The results highlight the importance of clean energy adoption, education, and international integration for promoting environmental sustainability, offering policy guidance for low-carbon development in the Horn of Africa and other developing regions.