SOCIO-ECONOMIC DRIVERS OF SMOKING AMONG YOUNG MALE STUDENTS IN PAKISTAN: A CASE STUDY APPROACH

Abstract

This study investigates the relationship between economic growth, foreign direct investment (FDI), energy consumption (renewable and non-renewable), natural resource rent, and environmental degradation in Pakistan from 1970 to 2023. Using the Auto Regressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) model, the findings support the Environmental Kuznets Curve hypothesis—economic growth initially increases environmental degradation but later leads to improvement. FDI significantly contributes to CO₂ emissions, while renewable energy and natural resource rent help reduce environmental harm. The study underscores the need for sustainable policies that promote renewable energy, regulate environmentally damaging FDI, enforce strict environmental laws, and encourage cleaner technologies and efficient resource use to balance growth with environmental sustainability.