Asymmetric Effects of Human Rights on Renewable Energy Consumption

Irsan Hardi (Department of Economics, Faculty of Economics and Business, Universitas Syiah Kuala, Banda Aceh 23111, Indonesia Economic Modeling and Data Analytics Unit, Graha Primera Saintifika, Aceh Besar 23371, Indonesia)
Mustafa Necati Coban (Department of Economics, Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences, Tokat Gaziosmanpaşa University, Tokat 60250, Türkiye)
Naftaly Mose (Department of Economics, University of Eldoret. Eldoret 30100, Kenya)
Suriani Suriani (Department of Economics, Faculty of Economics and Business, Universitas Syiah Kuala, Banda Aceh 23111, Indonesia)
M. Shabri Abd Majid (Department of Economics, Faculty of Economics and Business, Universitas Syiah Kuala, Banda Aceh 23111, Indonesia)

Leuser Journal of Environmental Studies
Vol. 4 No. 2 (2026): October 2026 (In Press)

As the transition to renewable energy has become increasingly important for achieving environmental sustainability, understanding the institutional factors that influence renewable energy consumption (REC) is crucial. This study examines the relationship between human rights and REC using a panel dataset covering five world regions (Africa, Asia, Europe, North America, and South America) from 1990 to 2024. Employing an asymmetric panel ARDL and the Dumitrescu–Hurlin panel causality test, the results reveal a significant long-run nonlinear relationship in which improvements in human rights increase REC, while deteriorations in human rights reduce REC. Short-run effects vary across regions, reflecting differences in institutional and developmental conditions. The causality analysis indicates a bidirectional relationship between human rights and renewable energy consumption. These findings suggest that strengthening human rights institutions can promote renewable energy adoption, support environmental sustainability, and facilitate the transition toward a cleaner energy system.