Role of ethnic conflicts, regularization and natural resource abundance in sustainable development

Abstract

This study sheds light on the critical role of natural resources, ethnic conflicts, and institutional factors in promoting sustainable development in developing countries and has significant implications for resource policy. It employs both static and dynamic panel data approaches to analyze a unique dataset of 55 developing economies from 1991 to 2021. The results indicate that natural resource abundance per capita, including oil per capita, coal per capita, and forests, as well as ethnic conflicts and institutional regulations, significantly impact sustainable development. Moreover, the study reveals that ethnic conflicts and regulations positively moderate the impact of natural resource abundance on sustainable development. The research also demonstrates that different factors have distinct effects at various quantiles using the bootstrap method. These findings have significant implications for resource policy, emphasizing the need for policymakers to address ethnic conflicts and implement regulatory measures for natural resource markets to foster sustainable development policies in developing nations.