Impact of CO2 emissions, income, and urbanization on health status in GCC countries: A moderating role of energy consumption

Abstract

Life expectancy is often considered the most effective measure for evaluating a nation's health status. In light of this, the study investigates the impact of carbon dioxide emissions on life expectancy in the Gulf Cooperation Council countries, controlling for economic growth (GDPpc), energy consumption, and urbanization between 1990 and 2020. To ensure the validity and reliability of the findings, the study employs a robust methodology, including Unit Root, cross-sectional dependence tests, and the novel method of moments quantile regression. The findings were further validated through additional models such as Fully Modified Ordinary Least Square, Panel-Corrected Standard Error, and Feasible Generalized Least Square, which ensure the robustness of the results. The estimation results consistently reveal an inverse relationship between CO₂ emissions and life expectancy, underscoring the negative health impacts of environmental degradation. In contrast, GDP per capita, urbanization, and energy consumption contribute positively to life expectancy. The study also identifies energy consumption as a mediator that exacerbates the negative effects of CO₂ emissions on health outcomes in the GCC. Overall, the study's conclusions are sound and based on comprehensive statistical tests, indicating high validity and reliability. However, the study's completeness is somewhat limited as it excludes potential health determinants such as healthcare quality and lifestyle factors, which could introduce omitted variable bias. Nonetheless, the results offer compelling insights for GCC policymakers, recommending immediate actions to reduce CO₂ emissions and prioritize clean energy to improve health outcomes in alignment with Sustainable Development Goal 3.