Does policy integration in renewable energy deployment enhance environmental sustainability in Africa?

In recent years, the world has observed a steady rise in protective measures toward environmental sustainability, especially in developing countries like Africa, which is seen as a lower contributor to global pollution but is not exempted from the consequences of ozone layer depletion leading to global warming. Empirical evidence about the impact of policy integration and renewable energy deployment on environmental sustainability, especially with nitrous oxide emissions, is missing in academic literature. This study investigates the impact of policy integration in renewable energy deployment and its effect on environmental sustainability in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Using data from 41 SSA countries from 1998 to 2020, we employ the generalized linear model (GLM) and panel quantile regression to address methodological challenges. Our findings indicate that policy integration and renewable energy are crucial for promoting environmental sustainability. Specifically, the results show that voice and accountability significantly reduce CO2 emissions, while political stability and control of corruption contribute to substantial reductions in N2O emissions. While renewable energy consumption decreases CO2 emissions, it is associated with an increase in N2O emissions. Additionally, the interaction between political stability and renewable energy consumption further reduces emissions, and the interaction of control of corruption and renewable energy also mitigates emissions. These effects, however, vary based on regional differences within SSA. Policymakers in SSA should enhance governance, promote regional strategies, and invest in green technologies to balance CO2 and N2O emissions while supporting renewable energy initiatives.