Investigating the Impact of Uncertainty in Influential Factors on the Ecological Footprint in Selected Asian and European Countries (مقاله علمی وزارت علوم)

چکیده

The ecological footprint is an effective tool for evaluating the pressures exerted on ecosystems and the environment. Given its importance, the present study examines the impact of uncertainty in factors influencing the ecological footprint across 10 selected Asian and European countries. To this end, a fuzzy regression model was employed to analyze these effects during the period from 1996 to 2022. Leveraging the capabilities of fuzzy regression, the intensity of each factor’s influence on the ecological footprint was calculated in terms of fuzzy centers, left spreads, and right spreads. The findings reveal that Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in Iran (+5.5 and -4.5) had the most significant negative environmental impact, attributable to oil dependence and insufficient attention to environmental concerns. In contrast, China (+0.29 and -0.23) demonstrated improvements due to greener policies. Regarding trade (EX), Azerbaijan and Malaysia exhibited asymmetric effects due to their reliance on natural resource exports, whereas Romania (stable at 0.37) maintained more sustainable performance owing to European regulatory standards. Financial Development (FDI) showed high volatility in China (±6.13) and Thailand (+2.77 and -2.34), while Belarus (stable at 0.24) had the least impact. Hydropower energy consumption (HP) in Turkiye and Romania faced uncertainties due to large-scale projects, whereas Russia (stable at 0.007) played a minimal role. The key conclusion indicates that resource-dependent countries (e.g., Iran and Azerbaijan) exert greater environmental pressure, whereas economies with diversification (e.g., China) or strict regulatory standards (e.g., Romania) achieve better integration of economic growth and sustainability. These findings underscore the need for revising development policies to prioritize ecological balance.