The mediating role of energy efficiency on the relationship between sharing economy benefits and sustainable development goals (Case Of China)

Recently, sustainable development goals (SDGs) have become a global requirement, but a changing phenomenon which needs to be examined frequently and which is the focus of recent literature and regulation. Thus, the present study examines the impact of sharing economy benefits such as reasonable use of energy resources, enhanced energy resource efficiency, and reduced energy cost, based on the SDGs of the manufacturing industry in China. The study explores the role of improved energy efficiency as a mediator in the nexus of the reasonable use of energy resources, enhanced energy resource efficiency, reduced energy costs, and SDGs. The article uses the primary data collection method of questionnaires to collect data from selected respondents, the managers of the manufacturing companies. The study employs Smart-PLS to check the reliability of the items and evaluate whether the variables are associated. The results reveal that reasonable use of energy resources, enhanced energy resource efficiency, and reduced energy costs have positive links with SDGs in the manufacturing industry in China. The results show improved energy efficiency to be among the linkages of the reasonable use of energy resources, enhanced energy resource efficiency, reduced energy costs, and SDGs of the manufacturing industry in China. This study can help economists, environmental regulators, and commissions for sustainable development in designing policies to encourage the sharing economy within countries and achieve SDGs.