Conference Agenda

Zimbabwe plays a crucial role in Africa’s drive to achieve zero carbon transition through its multiple initiatives to promote the utilization of its renewable energy (RE) potentials. However, not much is known about the drivers of RE consumption in this country. This study therefore sets out to interrogate the macroeconomic and environmental drivers of RE consumption in Zimbabwe. It used annual data spanning from 1990–2020. Employing the Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) bounds testing approach and the Error Correction Model (ECM), it assessed the long- and short-run dynamics between renewable energy use, human development index (HDI), population growth, trade openness, and rainfall variability. Results captured a long-run equilibrium relationship among the series. In the long run, HDI and rainfall variability positively influenced renewable energy consumption, while trade openness exerts a negative but significant effect, suggesting that improved human development fosters renewable energy adoption, whereas trade remains emission-intensive. In the short run, HDI and population growth display dynamic effects, reflecting socio-economic and demographic pressures. Granger causality tests indicate a unidirectional causality from renewable energy to HDI and a bidirectional link between HDI and trade openness, implying that renewable energy enhances welfare, while trade and human development reinforce each other. Econometric diagnostic and stability tests confirm the model’s robustness. Based on its findings, the study concludes that renewable energy development in Zimbabwe is shaped by socio-economic and climatic factors. It recommends policies that will promote renewable energy investment, human capital development, green trade expansion, and climate-responsive planning to ensure sustainable energy security and long-term economic growth.