The impact of green technological innovation and institutional quality on CO2 emissions in African countries

Green technological innovation and institutional quality are identified as effective mechanisms to mitigate carbon emissions and promote sustainable development. However, few studies have analyzed the role of technological innovation and institutions in reducing emissions from the African perspective. Therefore, this study examines the long-run effect of green technological innovation, institutional quality, renewable energy, fossil fuel energy, and economic growth on CO2 emissions in 25 African countries from 2000 to 2018. With the potential occurrence of residual cross-sectional reliance and heterogeneity, the study used second-generation panel techniques to examine the relationship between the variables. The empirical findings from the augmented mean group (AMG) and common correlated effects mean group (CCEMG) estimators indicate that green technological innovation and renewable energy consumption have a negative significant impact on CO2 emissions. In contrast, institutional quality, economic growth, and fossil fuel energy consumption have a positive impact on CO2 emissions. Based on the revealed findings, we proposed that African countries should increase investment in green technological innovation and renewable energy projects to achieve sustainable development targets.