Revisiting the Environmental Kuznets Curve Hypothesis in South Asian Countries: The Role of Energy Consumption and Trade Openness

South Asian countries have seen remarkable economic growth and development in the past few decades. This has been driven by financial sector reforms, industrialization, expansion of foreign trade. The present study is designed to identify long- short-run relationships among environmental degradation, growth, energy consumption, trade openness region. Our research contributes literature employing a new approach (the NARDL method). We examine annual data for four between 1971 2014. found that there was long-run equilibrium relationship openness. results confirmed inverted U-shaped EKC hypothesis only India Pakistan. However, long-term coefficients related consumption were statistically significant most interesting finding Sri Lanka did associated with shocks significantly impact carbon dioxide emissions. These impacts based on scale effect. some policy implications. Foremost, governments should promote subsidize green use increasing R&D spending renewable energy.