Exploring the Impact of Environmental Degradation, Income Inequality, Technological Development and Food Availability on Quality of Life: Recent Evidence From South Asia

Abstract

This study investigates the determinants of quality of life in South Asian countries, focusing on Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, and Pakistan from 2000 to 2018. Life expectancy is used as the dependent variable, representing life quality. The independent variables include carbon emissions, remittances, information and communication technology, income inequality, government health expenditure, economic development, and food security. Cross-sectional time series FGLS is the main analytical method, supplemented by Pedroni and Kao cointegration tests and the Drisc/Kraay method. The findings indicate that information and communication technology, remittances, economic progress, and food security positively impact life expectancy, while CO₂ emissions, income inequality, and government health expenditures negatively affect it. The study proposes several policy recommendations to improve the quality of life in the South Asian region.