Unboxing the Green Growth Dynamics in G7: Exploring the Interplay of Energy Transition, Circular Economy, and Innovation
This paper examines the concept of green growth within the G7 countries, particularly the connections between energy transition, green innovation, financial inclusion, and the circular economy. The analysis of the data using the CS-ARDL model reveals strong long-term and short-term relationships between these variables and green growth. It is demonstrated that energy transition, measured by the Energy Transition Index (ETI), positively affects green growth, as the coefficient of energy transition in the long run is positive, 0.45, which explains the need to adopt renewable energy sources. Green innovation (based on environmental patents) has a positive contribution as well (coefficient = 0.28), which highlights its contribution towards sustainable economic development. The significance of financial inclusion comes out, and its coefficient is positive and significant, 0.40, in the long run, indicating the importance of financial access in facilitating green investments. Conversely, the negative correlation that was found between carbon intensity and green growth indicates that going low on emissions per unit of GDP is an essential component of a sustainable process (coefficient = −0.20). Green growth is augmented by the interaction of the practice of the circular economy and financial inclusion (long-run 0.12). These results highlight the importance of combined policies that can facilitate energy transformation, innovation, financial inclusion, and the strategy of the circular economy to attain sustainable growth in G7 countries.