Enhancing economic sustainability in South Asia through digitalization, green investment, and financial inclusion
摘要
This research investigates how economic sustainability in South Asian countries be advanced through digitalization, green investment, and financial inclusion. Despite limited prior examination, the interplay between digitalization, green investment, financial development, and sustainable development remains underexplored, especially in the context of South Asian countries. Utilizing Common Correlated Effect Mean Group, Mean Group, and Augmented Mean Group analytical approaches on data spanning from 1990 to 2023, the study reveals a robust positive impact of digitalization, green investment, and financial development on South Asian countries' economic sustainability. This underscores the importance of investing in green resources, technological innovation, and financial infrastructure to facilitate the country's transition toward sustainable development by (0.246%, 0.329%, and 0.740%). It further demonstrates that digitalization acts as a catalyst in this process, enhancing economic growth by (1.227%, 2.112%, and 2.231%) respectively. The synergistic effect of green investment and digitalization enhances renewable infrastructures' efficiency and reliability, reducing costs and improving market competitiveness. Concurrently, financial inclusion broadens community engagement in these projects, fostering economic expansion. Moreover, this study articulates the multifaceted benefits of renewable energy integration within the energy portfolio. It recommends the pivotal roles of digital transformation, financial accessibility, and solid institutional governance in driving economic development in South Asian economies.