Food security and environmental degradation: Do institutional quality and human capital make a difference?

The nexus between food security (FS), institutional quality (IQ), human capital (HC), and environmental deterioration (ED) has important implications for ecological sustainability. Yet, environmental deterioration resulting from food security activities is a widely ignored topic, particularly in BRI countries. To address this gap, we examined the influence of food security, human capital and institutional quality on the environmental deterioration of BRI countries from 1984 to 2019. Furthermore, it investigates the moderating effect of institutional quality and human capital on ED. The empirical findings revealed that food security increases ED. The research also revealed that HC and IQ lower the ED. Furthermore, food security promotes ecological sustainability through the HC channel. Additionally, institutional quality decreases the negative environmental implications of food security. Based on these results, BRI nations should enhance ecological sustainability by investing in HC and using food resources efficiently.