Energy poverty and environmental degradation in South Asian Countries with the role of poverty, globalization and institutional quality: Static panel data approach

South Asian countries are geopolitically crucial for developed nations, especially for projects such as the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), which relies on Pakistan's strategic location. Despite the significance of Asian countries, they face severe energy crises due to energy poverty and limited access to technology, hindering their development and SDG goal attainment. The goal of this research is to measure the impact of energy poverty, institutional quality, globalization, information technology, poverty, economic growth, and FDI inflow in South Asian countries using the actual elements of energy poverty, institutional quality, globalization, the pollution haven hypothesis, and the environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC). In this study, Panel-Corrected Standard Errors (PCSE) and Feasible Generalized Least Squares (FGLS) were used to analyze the results using panel data from 1999 to 2023. Strong institutional quality, including government effectiveness, regulatory quality, and the rule of law, reduces environmental degradation, while control of corruption and political stability boosts pollution. Information technology indicators, such as Internet use and fixed telephone subscriptions, help mitigate environmental issues in South Asian countries. Furthermore, financial development, energy intensity, poverty, fertilizer consumption, and food production decrease environmental sustainability, while urbanization promotes sustainability. Energy poverty elements have mixed effects depending on rural and urban areas; the Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) and Pollution Haven Hypothesis (PHH) are verified. Policy recommendations are suggested as per the SDG goals (SDG-7: Affordable and Clean Energy; SDG-13: Climate Action) for policy experts. • Strong institutional quality reduces environmental degradation • Information technology helps to mitigate environmental issues. • Financial development, energy intensity increase environmental degradation. • EKC and Pollution Haven Hypothesis (PHH) are valid in South Asian countries.