Effect of energy consumption, economic growth and carbon emissions on human health in Morocco

Abstract

Climate change is a major factor in the deterioration of the environment, and the use of green energies has become a crucial necessity to deal with this scourge, which continues to grow in importance over time. Allergy and respiratory diseases can be affected by CO2 emissions (ECO2). With this in mind, our study examines the impact of carbon dioxide emissions on human health in Morocco, taking into account economic growth (CEco) and energy consumption (CE) between 1990 and 2020. For this study, we used quantile regression. The results have been validated by tests of equality of coefficients between quantiles and the Wald Test, which guarantee the robustness of the results. Our research shows an inverse relationship between pollution and mortality, highlighting the deleterious impact of environmental degradation on health.

In contrast, GDP per capita and energy consumption contribute positively to life expectancy (LE). The study also identifies energy consumption as a mediator that exacerbates the negative effects of ECO2 on health outcomes in Morocco. Overall, the study's findings are robust and based on comprehensive statistical tests, indicating high validity and reliability. However, the completeness of the study is somewhat limited as it excludes potential determinants of health such as healthcare quality and lifestyle factors, which could introduce omitted variable bias. Nevertheless, the results offer interesting insights for policymakers in Morocco, recommending immediate action to reduce ECO2 and prioritize clean energy to improve health outcomes, in line with UN Sustainable Development Goal 3.

Classification JEL: O44, P18, C13

Paper type: Theoretical Research or Empirical Research