Globalization, natural resource asymmetries, and environmental sustainability: evidence from ecological footprints in post-reform India

Abstract

This study investigates the symmetric and asymmetric effects of globalization and natural resource use on environmental sustainability in India during the post-reform period from 1990 to 2018. Ecological footprint, measured in global hectares, is employed as a comprehensive indicator of environmental degradation. The study applies both linear autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) and nonlinear autoregressive distributed lag (NARDL) approaches to examine the long-run dynamics among globalization, natural resource depletion, renewable energy consumption, economic growth, and urbanization. The empirical findings confirm a stable long-run equilibrium relationship among the variables. The asymmetric estimates reveal that natural resource depletion significantly increases ecological footprints, indicating the environmental costs of resource-intensive growth. Conversely, globalization contributes to environmental improvement through technological diffusion, eco-innovation, and cleaner production practices. Economic growth and renewable energy consumption are found to intensify ecological pressure, whereas urbanization mitigates environmental degradation through improved infrastructure efficiency and sustainable urban development. These findings are particularly relevant in the context of India’s commitments under the Paris Agreement (2015), the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and recent climate negotiations including COP26 in Glasgow and COP28 in Dubai, where India reaffirmed its renewable energy expansion goals, emissions-intensity reduction targets, and net-zero emissions committed by 2070. Clinical trial number Not applicable.