Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
İZMIR JOURNAL OF ECONOMICS, cilt.41, sa.1, ss.1-24, 2026 (TRDizin)
Carbon dioxide emissions are the primary contributors to environmental damage. Since fossil fuels are the main sources of
CO2 emissions, it is imperative to cultivate alternative energy sources and advance technology to ensure that economic
growthremains comparatively environmentally sustainable. This paper empirically analyses the complex relationships
between economic growth and environmental degradation, taking into account the environmental Kuznets curve (EKC)
theory theory for a panel of 14 upper-middle-income countries over the period 1990-2021. The results show that renewable
energy sources can provide environmental sustainability by improving environmental quality. The findings obtained in the
long-run estimations prove that both technological development and renewable energy sources can play important roles
in ensuring economic sustainability by keeping the environment relatively pollution-free in the 14 selected upper-middle-
income countries.