Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
Energy and Buildings, cilt.347, 2025 (SCI-Expanded)
Climate change and energy security risk pose a major challenge to environmental sustainability, particularly in fossil fuel-dependent economies such as the USA. This study examines the effects of economic growth, energy security risk, financial development, renewable energy consumption, and fossil fuel consumption on environmental quality, as measured by load capacity factor and CO2 emissions, within the load capacity curve (LCC) and environmental Kuznets curve (EKC) hypotheses. The study covers the period from 1980 to 2018 and uses the fully modified ordinary least squares and canonical cointegrating regression methods, which were chosen for their robustness in analyzing long-term relationships. The results confirm the validity of both the LCC and EKC hypotheses in the USA and show that renewable energy consumption increases environmental quality, while fossil fuel consumption, energy security risk and financial development negatively affect it. These results emphasize the need to redirect financial resources to renewable energy projects to mitigate environmental degradation and increase energy security. Policy recommendations include incentivizing investment in renewable energy, passing legislation to phase out fossil fuels, and raising public awareness to promote sustainable practices. This study provides key insights for policymakers aiming to balance economic growth and environmental sustainability in the USA, contributing to global efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.