Human activities and environmental quality: evidence beyond the conventional EKC hypothesis()

Due to several types of human activities, the environment of African countries has not improved. Moreover, environmental economists have criticised the traditional Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) hypothesis because it does not analyse the feedback effect of the environment on economic growth and does not measure environmental pollution broadly. Besides, empirical studies that comprehensively measure the environment and examine the feedback effect are not available in Africa’s case. In addition, findings concerning the association between human activities and Environmental Quality (EQ) have been paid limited attention to Africa, although 50% of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) focus on these issues. Therefore, this study examines the link between human activities and EQ as well as the effect of EQ on growth for 38 African countries from 2000 to 2018. The study found that EQ has a positive and non-linear association with human capital, technology, and urbanisation. However, it has a negative and non-linear association with GDP Per Capita (GDPPC) and trade openness. Further, EQ significantly increases GDPPC. The study also recommends that African countries need to invest in improving Human Development Index (HDI), use green or low-carbon technologies, reduce migration from rural to urban, develop comprehensive urban planning, and design and implement appropriate trade policies.