Assessment of the relationship between economic growth, energy consumption and environmental pollution in Сentral Asian countries

In Central Asian countries, there is a complex relationship between economic growth, energy consumption, and environmental pollution. An increase in economic production is often accompanied by an increase in energy consumption, which, in turn, can lead to an increase in pollutant emissions. However, there are opportunities to break this link, for example, by increasing energy efficiency and switching to renewable energy sources. Taking into account the environmental goals stated at different levels of the global community, the main purpose of this study is to test the relationship between economic growth, greenhouse gas emissions and energy consumption – the so-called “3E” model. This allows us to develop recommendations for different countries. An analysis of the Central Asian (CA) countries using panel data and time series for the period 1990–2024 revealed significant changes in the relationship between these three variables, especially as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, some countries have managed to achieve decoupling of emissions and economic growth. Nevertheless, the persistence of carbon-intensive energy consumption patterns in Central Asian countries remains a major obstacle, underscoring the need to step up efforts to introduce green technologies and transition to sustainable economic development.