Exploring sustainable development: interplay of trade, finance, technology, and sustainable development in a global context

This study proposal looks at how carbon emission relates to several critical factors in the concept of sustainable development. Based on the reviewed literature, it focuses comprehensively on trade openness, financial inclusion, digital technology, and information communication technology, with financial development as the mediator and research and development as a moderator to reveal their overall impact on sustainable development particularly concerning CO 2 emissions. Using data from 50 countries over the years 2000 to 2020, The results of Generalized Method of Moments (GMM) estimation finds strong positive effects of trade openness (p = 0.000), financial inclusion (p = 0.000), and digital technology (p = 0.000) on sustainable development, though ICT shows a minor negative influence (p = 0.000). Financial development demonstrates a weak negative mediation effect (p = 0.000), and the moderation effect of R&D is significantly negative (p = 0.000), reducing CO 2 emissions. Robustness checks using quantile regression show consistent significance across quantiles, with digital technology and financial inclusion remaining positively influential, and ICT becoming increasingly negative in higher quantiles (all p < 0.01). The potential future implications of this study stand to advance research that can inform environmentally and economically friendly policies. By identifying the limitations and strengths of the variables, this study will help stakeholders formulate practical strategies for a sustainable future, offering knowledge to guide decisions and policies at the governmental, organizational, and societal levels in achieving environmental sustainability without undermining economic growth.