The role of ICT, renewable energy, per capita income, manufacturing activity, governance quality and uncertainty in achieving environmental sustainability in OECD countries

The OECD countries are committed to achieving United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 13, which focuses on mitigating climate change. It is crucial to underscore the interplay of several factors such as information and communication technology (ICT) adoption, per capita income, renewable energy, manufacturing activity, governance quality, and uncertainty to attain this goal. This study contributes to the literature by examining the potential role of these factors in mitigating climate change and achieving environmental sustainability in the OECD countries from 2000 to 2023, utilizing Panel Fixed Effects and Panel Quantile Regression models. The findings indicate that ICT adoption, renewable energy usage, and WUI contribute to reducing CO2 emissions among OECD countries. In contrast, higher per capita income, increased manufacturing activity, and enhanced governance are associated with rising CO2 emissions. Policy suggestions focus on the role of advanced ICTs in reducing CO2 emissions, moving towards a low-carbon economy coupled with transforming the fossil fuel economy to a renewable energy one, and utilizing the role of multilateralism in achieving environmental sustainability.