Do information and communication technology and renewable energy use matter for carbon dioxide emissions reduction? Evidence from the Middle East and North Africa region

This study aims to investigate whether information and communication technologies (ICT) renewable energy consumption can help improve environmental quality for a selected group of the Middle East North Africa (MENA) region. By using Panel Vector Autoregressive model over period 1980–2019, results show evidence first-order effects ICTs on CO2 emissions, indicating that use ICT in current economic development context MENA region lead deterioration quality. The also improves whatever sample proxy used. Overall, impulse responses functions (IRFs) impact shocks last between 1 7 years. IRFs are confirmed by forecast error variance decomposition analysis, which shows contributions variability emissions is not zero. Finally, tests causality, reveal bidirectional causality most cases consumption. To benefit from potential positive environment, several policies have been developed discussed.