Sustainability in Vietnam: Examining economic growth, energy, innovation, agriculture, and forests' impact on CO2 emissions

Abstract

Global warming, induced by human-generated greenhouse gases, especially carbon dioxide (CO2), threatens the planet's ecology, economic development, and long-term viability in unparalleled ways. Vietnam's utilization of energy and CO2 emanations are on the increase as a consequence of the country's increasing economic and improving agricultural practices. Governments seeking to accomplish an equilibrium between combating climate change and sustainable development would benefit from a deeper understanding of Vietnam's climate change vulnerability. A better understanding of the trade-off between pollution and economic growth is crucial if Vietnam is to slow the rate at which its environment is being damaged. So, the current study empirically examined the connections between GDP development, energy consumption, technical advancement, agricultural output, forest region, and carbon dioxide emissions in Vietnam. This study collected annual data from 1990 to 2020 and analyzed it using the Dynamic Ordinary Least Squares method. Based on the projection, Vietnam experiences a direct correlation between energy consumption and CO2 emissions. This implies that an increase in energy consumption and economic growth corresponds to a corresponding emission of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Nevertheless, it is essential to acknowledge that this pattern might be alleviated by means of technological innovations, increased agricultural output, and initiatives to broaden forested regions. A negative correlation exists between these variables and CO2 emissions; technological innovations, more sustainable agricultural methods, and forest preservation initiatives may contribute to the gradual reduction of CO2 emissions. Therefore, environmental sustainability could be achieved through reduced emissions if the policies advocated in this article were implemented. Some of these policies include using renewable energy sources, encouraging innovations in technology, encouraging climate-conscious agriculture, and encouraging careful forest management.

Keywords

• CO2 emissions
• Climate change
• Development
• Energy use
• Technological innovation
• Sustainability