Minerals, natural resources, government instability, and growing ecological challenges: Can we achieve SDGs 12 and 13?

Yong Y., Ahmed Z., Wang S., Rjoub H., Bilan Y.

RESOURCES POLICY, vol.88, 2024 (SSCI) identifier identifier

  • Publication Type: Article / Article
  • Volume: 88
  • Publication Date: 2024
  • Doi Number: 10.1016/j.resourpol.2023.104507
  • Journal Name: RESOURCES POLICY
  • Journal Indexes: Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI), Scopus, International Bibliography of Social Sciences, Aerospace Database, Aquatic Science & Fisheries Abstracts (ASFA), Business Source Elite, Business Source Premier, Communication Abstracts, Compendex, EconLit, Index Islamicus, INSPEC, Metadex, PAIS International, Pollution Abstracts, Public Affairs Index, Civil Engineering Abstracts
  • Azerbaijan State University of Economics (UNEC) Affiliated: No

Abstract

Mineral resources (MNR) are being increasingly extracted by countries situated in the Global South. However, the extraction and processing of these resources can have severe ecological repercussions. Previous literature mainly evaluates the long-run ecological impacts of natural resources (NTR) and studies delving into the long-run ecological impacts of mineral resources in the context of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 12 & 13 are scant. Thus, this study assessed the environmental challenges associated with MNR and NTR by incorporating the measure of government stability (GNST) across ten emerging nations situated in the Global South, spanning the years from 1989 to 2020. The comprehensive load capacity factor (LCF) is employed as a proxy of ecological quality. After using the empirical methods robust to cross-sectional dependence (CSD), endogeneity, serial correlation, and heteroscedasticity, this study unfolded the following long-run outcomes. Mineral resources lessen the LCF and thus, decrease the ecological quality. Likewise, natural resources diminish the LCF figures and exert detrimental impacts on the quality of the environment. Surprisingly, government stability intensifies ecological degradation. Furthermore, the study found the load capacity curve (LCC) in the member nations showing that higher development can uplift the LCF. Finally, a policy framework based on the SDGs is proposed to ensure the sustainability of MNR and NTR.