Abstract
This paper explores the relationship between poverty and ecological footprint in BRICS nations. Data for BRICS was gathered from the World Bank's World Development Indicators, Global Footprint Network, Worldwide Governance Indicators (WGI) and PovcalNet for the period 1996 to 2017. Panel autoregressive distributed lag (PARDL) analysis, along with corresponding preliminary cross-sectional dependence and second-generation specification tests were used to analyze the data. The estimates from the full sample support existing literature, revealing a strong long-run relationship between poverty and ecological footprint. Specifically, the results show that poverty decreases ecological footprint in the long-run, confirming a trade-off relationship between poverty and ecological footprints. However, when China is excluded from the full sample, the effect of poverty on ecological footprint becomes positive. Our results are consistent across various measures of ecological footprint and poverty, as well as alternative empirical specifications. With environmental degradation on the rise in some BRICS countries and persistent poverty in others, our study highlights the important role these developing nations play in global environmental outcomes. Policymakers are faced with significant challenges in aligning growth trajectories with sustainable environmental practices.