Abstract The increasingly severe environmental crisis has become one of the most important issues of international debate at present. The acceleration of environmental problems places considerable pressure on individuals, governments, and policymakers. Greenhouse gas emissions caused by fossil-based energy sources have made clean energy sources, such as renewable energy, a strategic choice. Although renewable energy is a key factor in mitigating environmental problems, analysis of its determinants has certain limitations. Despite studies that focus on macroeconomic and environmental determinants of renewable energy, political and institutional factors are neglected. Therefore, to fill the existing gap, the present study analyzes the connection between renewable energy and institutional quality in 38 countries during the period 1990–2015. Economic growth and CO2 emissions are included in the model as control variables. The findings of this study lead to the conclusion that the institutional quality positively affects renewable energy consumption in the long run. Furthermore, CO2 emission is a positive and important determinant of renewable energy consumption. However, economic growth negatively affects renewable energy. In this context, institutional quality is a key strategic choice in promoting the use of renewable energy and solving environmental problems.

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可再生能源的政治经济学：制度质量对可再生能源消费有影响吗？

摘要 日益严重的环境危机已成为当前国际争论的最重要问题之一。环境问题的加速发展给个人、政府和政策制定者带来了相当大的压力。化石能源造成的温室气体排放使可再生能源等清洁能源成为战略选择。尽管可再生能源是缓解环境问题的关键因素，但对其决定因素的分析具有一定的局限性。尽管研究侧重于可再生能源的宏观经济和环境决定因素，但忽略了政治和制度因素。因此，为了填补现有空白，本研究分析了 1990-2015 年 38 个国家的可再生能源与制度质量之间的联系。经济增长和二氧化碳排放作为控制变量包含在模型中。本研究的结果得出的结论是，从长远来看，制度质量会对可再生能源消费产生积极影响。此外，二氧化碳排放是可再生能源消费的积极且重要的决定因素。然而，经济增长对可再生能源产生负面影响。在此背景下，制度质量是促进可再生能源利用和解决环境问题的关键战略选择。经济增长对可再生能源产生负面影响。在此背景下，制度质量是促进可再生能源利用和解决环境问题的关键战略选择。经济增长对可再生能源产生负面影响。在此背景下，制度质量是促进可再生能源利用和解决环境问题的关键战略选择。