Published Paper Details:

The relationship between economic growth, energy consumption, and environmental quality remains one of the most widely debated themes in environmental economics. Using insights from ten influential studies (1995-2021), this review consolidates evidence on the Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC), the role of renewable versus non-renewable energy, causality between income and emissions, and the sectoral determinants affecting environmental outcomes. The reviewed literature offers mixed but insightful results: while certain developing and middle-income regions show EKC-consistent improvements at higher income levels, most global evidence refutes the notion that economic growth alone can solve environmental degradation. Renewable energy adoption emerges as a critical moderating factor capable of reducing greenhouse gas emissions without hindering GDP. The review concludes that structural economic reforms, clean-energy transitions, and regional policy considerations are essential for achieving sustainable development.