The influence of economic complexity processes and renewable energy on CO2 emissions of BRICS. What about industry 4.0?

This study analyses the relationship between carbon dioxide emissions per capita, the economic complexity index, renewable energy, and inward foreign direct investment using panel data for the BRICS countries from 1995 to 2020. Empirical results confirm that the environmental Kuznets curve is fulfilled, with a positive but decreasing contribution of economic development on environmental deterioration, to the point that neutrality on CO2 emissions can be achieved in the long term. In addition, the results confirm, in this case, the Pollution Haven Hypothesis, that is, the set of BRICS economies chooses to apply regulations that do not respect the environment. The results of other econometric studies support this study, pointing to long-run cointegration. The unit root tests and the variance inflation test also point to stationarity at the first difference and a lack of multicollinearity, respectively. Finally, given the scarcity of empirical studies, this study adopts an incipient methodology to approximate the impact of the technologies associated with Industry 4.0 on carbon emissions, obtaining evidence that their effect on environmental deterioration is very moderate. In addition, the results suggest that, in the long term, these technologies can contribute to achieving the neutrality of polluting emissions. •The study evaluates the direct impact of FDI on carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions in BRICS.•The study confirms the Pollution Haven Pollution Hypothesis.•The ECI's Environmental Kuznets curve (EKC) hypothesis was tested using panel cointegration analysis.•The results reveal that renewable energy consumption decreases carbon dioxide emissions.