Impacts on human development index due to combinations of renewables and ICTs --new evidence from 26 countries

Clean energy productions depend on technology advancements such as renewables and ICTs (Information Communication Technologies), with the ultimate goals to enhance human development. In the past two decades, individual effects of renewables or ICTs on the human development index (hdi) were studied in prior literatures without consistent roadmaps for the future human development. Recently, the authors observed the interesting effects on hdi when renewables and ICTs are combined. In this paper, impacts on hdi due to renewables, ICTs and their combinations are analyzed by static and dynamic panel models for 26 countries between 2000 and 2018. Other factors include carbon dioxide emissions, economic developments, primary energy consumptions, and populations. Firstly, the impact on hdi due to renewables alone is generally insignificant in short- and long-terms. Secondly, the impact on hdi due to ICTs is positive in the short-term, however, such effect becomes insignificant in the long-term. Thirdly, the combinations of renewables and ICTs significantly promote hdi in the short- and long-terms. Fourthly, economic developments promote hdi, while carbon emissions negatively impact hdi, in both terms. Fifthly, primary energy consumptions promote hdi in the short-term, but hinder hdi in the long-term. Lastly, population growth negatively affects hdi in the long-term.