Towards Ecological Sustainability: Assessing Dynamic Total-Factor Ecology Efficiency in Africa

Ecological footprint (EF) and human development index (HDI) are two critical indicators for assessing sustainable development worldwide. Past studies in Africa have ignored dynamic sustainable total-factor ecological efficiency (DSTFEE) assessment. This present study proffers a novel dynamic sustain...

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Main Authors: Nelson Amowine, Huaizong Li, Kofi Baah Boamah, Zhixiang Zhou
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2021-09-01
Series:International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
Subjects:
DEA
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/18/17/9323
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spelling doaj-bee418dba44f432f86cf93a0def793bb2021-09-09T13:46:05ZengMDPI AGInternational Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health1661-78271660-46012021-09-01189323932310.3390/ijerph18179323Towards Ecological Sustainability: Assessing Dynamic Total-Factor Ecology Efficiency in AfricaNelson Amowine0Huaizong Li1Kofi Baah Boamah2Zhixiang Zhou3Department of Public Administration and Law, Yibin University, No. 8, St. Luke, Wuliangye, Yibin 644000, ChinaDepartment of Public Administration and Law, Yibin University, No. 8, St. Luke, Wuliangye, Yibin 644000, ChinaDepartment of Business and Finance, University of Professional Studies, Accra 23321, GhanaSchool of Economics, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei 230009, ChinaEcological footprint (EF) and human development index (HDI) are two critical indicators for assessing sustainable development worldwide. Past studies in Africa have ignored dynamic sustainable total-factor ecological efficiency (DSTFEE) assessment. This present study proffers a novel dynamic sustainable total-factor ecological efficiency (DSTFEE) that comprehensively assesses the ecological efficiency among 44 sampled African economies from 2010 to 2016. Our study incorporates EF and HDI in the model. Second, the study evaluates regional DSTFEE heterogeneity efficiency as well as the technological gap efficiency in Africa. Further, projection analysis is done to offer a viable solution path to address the inefficient African countries. Third, the study investigates the determinants of ecological efficiency using the bootstrap truncation regression technique. The results from the implemented models are as follows: first, the DSTFEE for the 44 sampled African countries is very low (0.403), indicating enormous potential for improvement. Second, the heterogeneity of DSTFEE across the five Africa regional blocs is evident. The southern bloc had the highest efficiency score, followed by the northern, central, western, and eastern regions. The technology gap ratio also reveals a massive gap among the five Africa regional blocs. Third, the bootstrap truncation regression results established a U-shape nexus between growth and DSTFEE in Africa. REC and trade openness is positively corrected to DSTFEE for African countries. In contrast, financial development, foreign direct investment (FDI), and urbanization impede dynamic ecological efficiency in Africa. The study’s results equip African countries with adequate knowledge of their ecological efficiency situation and provide them a viable path to improve environmental efficiency, thereby boosting their ecological sustainability.https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/18/17/9323total-factor ecological efficiencyecological footprint (EF)human development index (HDI)dynamic meta-frontier SBMDEAAfrica
collection DOAJ
language English
format Article
sources DOAJ
author Nelson Amowine
Huaizong Li
Kofi Baah Boamah
Zhixiang Zhou
spellingShingle Nelson Amowine
Huaizong Li
Kofi Baah Boamah
Zhixiang Zhou
Towards Ecological Sustainability: Assessing Dynamic Total-Factor Ecology Efficiency in Africa
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
total-factor ecological efficiency
ecological footprint (EF)
human development index (HDI)
dynamic meta-frontier SBM
DEA
Africa
author_facet Nelson Amowine
Huaizong Li
Kofi Baah Boamah
Zhixiang Zhou
author_sort Nelson Amowine
title Towards Ecological Sustainability: Assessing Dynamic Total-Factor Ecology Efficiency in Africa
title_short Towards Ecological Sustainability: Assessing Dynamic Total-Factor Ecology Efficiency in Africa
title_full Towards Ecological Sustainability: Assessing Dynamic Total-Factor Ecology Efficiency in Africa
title_fullStr Towards Ecological Sustainability: Assessing Dynamic Total-Factor Ecology Efficiency in Africa
title_full_unstemmed Towards Ecological Sustainability: Assessing Dynamic Total-Factor Ecology Efficiency in Africa
title_sort towards ecological sustainability: assessing dynamic total-factor ecology efficiency in africa
publisher MDPI AG
series International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
issn 1661-7827
1660-4601
publishDate 2021-09-01
description Ecological footprint (EF) and human development index (HDI) are two critical indicators for assessing sustainable development worldwide. Past studies in Africa have ignored dynamic sustainable total-factor ecological efficiency (DSTFEE) assessment. This present study proffers a novel dynamic sustainable total-factor ecological efficiency (DSTFEE) that comprehensively assesses the ecological efficiency among 44 sampled African economies from 2010 to 2016. Our study incorporates EF and HDI in the model. Second, the study evaluates regional DSTFEE heterogeneity efficiency as well as the technological gap efficiency in Africa. Further, projection analysis is done to offer a viable solution path to address the inefficient African countries. Third, the study investigates the determinants of ecological efficiency using the bootstrap truncation regression technique. The results from the implemented models are as follows: first, the DSTFEE for the 44 sampled African countries is very low (0.403), indicating enormous potential for improvement. Second, the heterogeneity of DSTFEE across the five Africa regional blocs is evident. The southern bloc had the highest efficiency score, followed by the northern, central, western, and eastern regions. The technology gap ratio also reveals a massive gap among the five Africa regional blocs. Third, the bootstrap truncation regression results established a U-shape nexus between growth and DSTFEE in Africa. REC and trade openness is positively corrected to DSTFEE for African countries. In contrast, financial development, foreign direct investment (FDI), and urbanization impede dynamic ecological efficiency in Africa. The study’s results equip African countries with adequate knowledge of their ecological efficiency situation and provide them a viable path to improve environmental efficiency, thereby boosting their ecological sustainability.
topic total-factor ecological efficiency
ecological footprint (EF)
human development index (HDI)
dynamic meta-frontier SBM
DEA
Africa
url https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/18/17/9323
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