Remittance inflows affect the ecological footprint in BICS countries: do technological innovation and financial development matter?

This study examines the impact of remittance inflows, technological innovations, and financial development on environmental quality in Brazil, India, China, and South Africa (BICS) economies over 1990-2016. This study employed a comprehensive environment proxy, i.e., ecological footprint for environmental quality, and also considers more advanced and robust econometric (second-generation) techniques. The outcomes of the current study reveal that remittance inflows and financial development significantly deteriorate the environmental quality, while technological innovations are an essential factor for the reduction of ecological footprint level. Furthermore, the results of the interaction terms show a significantly adverse effect on the ecological footprint. Additionally, the findings of country-wise analysis reveal that remittance inflows and financial development worsen the environmental quality in each sample country, while the technological innovations promote the environmental sustainability that is steady with panel results. Besides, the environmental Kuznets curve (EKC) hypothesis was verified across the BICS economies. Consistent with the key findings, an inverted U-shaped relationship exists between economic growth and ecological footprint in the case of Brazil and South Africa. In contrast, the U-shaped EKC hypothesis exists in the case of China and India. For robust policy implication, the findings of this study highlighted the dire need for "green policy tools" that should be linked with the BICS economy policies and driver for sustained growth.