Entrepreneurship and Carbon Footprints in Sub-Saharan Africa

Abstract

This study examines the impact of entrepreneurship on carbon footprints in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). The study applied the generalised method of moments on the data sourced from the World Development indicators (WDI) and World Governance Indicators (WGI). Result shows that entrepreneurship has a negative but not statistically significant impact on carbon footprints in SSA. Furthermore, across SSA subregions, entrepreneurship has a positive and statistically significant impact on carbon footprints in Central Africa (0.052%) and Southern Africa (0.1914%), while entrepreneurship has a negative and statistically significant impact on carbon footprints in Eastern Africa (0.064%) and Western Africa (0.0273%). Based on findings, the study concludes that entrepreneurs can develop and promote clean technologies, renewable energy projects, circular economy initiatives, sustainable agriculture practices, green transport solutions, and educational programs to lower carbon footprints. This calls for collaboration between stakeholders to create an enabling environment for sustainable entrepreneurship and accelerate Africa's transition towards a low-carbon future. The findings of the study contribute to the policy dialogue for the actualisation of sustainable development goals of good health and wellbeing (SDG 3), clean water and sanitation (SDG 6), promotion of development-oriented policies that support productive activities, decent job creation and entrepreneurship (SDG 8.3); sustainable cities and communities (SDG 11), climate action (SGD 13), life below water (SDG14) and life on land (SDG 15), respectively.