The objective of this study is to analyze how low-carbon technology imports such as wind turbines, solar panels, carbon capture equipment, and biomass systems from China affect Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) countries’ energy poverty. Additionally, we analyze the role of financial development, deliberative democracy, economic complexity, human development, and telecommunications infrastructure on energy poverty in BRI countries. We use 69 countries from Belt and Road initiative countries and a sample period from 2000 to 2019. We classify these countries according to the IMF classification of advanced, emerging and low-income developing countries. We employ the instrumental variable generalized method of moments (IV-GMM) approach as the main technique to take care of the endogeneity concerns inherent in the model, as well as a robust quantile-based technique called the method of moments quantile regression estimator (MMQREG). Our results reveal that low-carbon technology trade from China does not significantly alleviate energy poverty in the BRI countries. Financial development increases energy poverty while deliberative democracy decreases it. Economic complexity, as well as human development, negatively affects energy poverty, while telecommunications infrastructure does not affect energy poverty significantly. Based on the results, policy implications are provided.

Addressing global disparities in Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorist Financing (AML/CFT) compliance and effectiveness is increasingly critical due to escalating financial crime risks. This study aims to identify natural clusters of countries based on their performance in FATF technical compliance and effectiveness assessments, thereby facilitating tailored AML/CFT support strategies. The study utilised hierarchical clustering, Principal Component Analysis (PCA), and ANOVA tests, employing FATF assessment ratings data for Immediate Outcomes (IO1-IO11) and Recommendations (R.1-R.40). Four distinct clusters were identified, highlighting significant variations in AML/CFT compliance and effectiveness. Advanced economies demonstrated high compliance and effectiveness, emphasising the strategic use of technology, cybersecurity, and effective regulatory oversight. Developing and transitional countries exhibited mixed or low performance, reflecting institutional, socio-economic, and governance-related challenges, including weaker institutional frameworks, higher corruption rates, and socio-economic pressures driving financial crime. The research also underscores persistent global challenges in adapting to new technologies and adequately supervising non-financial sectors. These clusters underline the necessity of differentiated, context-specific AML/CFT strategies, emphasising targeted interventions, technology integration, ethical frameworks, and regional cooperation to enhance global financial integrity. Additionally, these findings differ from the FATF’s traditional grouping approach, which typically classifies countries primarily based on risk assessments and geopolitical factors rather than performance-based data analysis.

Green bonds are useful monetary tools that can finance sustainable endeavors to bolster an eco-friendly economy. This research inspects the frequency-domain causal relationship between diverse green bond types and the green economy from June 30, 2014 to August 3, 2023. The goal is to understand both permanent and temporary causal phenomena between them. The findings reveal that only pioneering green bonds display a robust bidirectional causal link with an eco-efficient economy. Meanwhile, other green bond types, like conventional, municipal, and currency-dominated green bonds, may be susceptible to greenwashing due to the absence of a thorough permanent causal tie with an ecologically sustainable economy. Additionally, enhancing pioneering green bonds by integrating ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) stocks can transform the cause-and-effect dynamic between specific green bonds and the green economy. It shifts from a bilateral cause to a unilateral one stemming from the environmentally friendly economy and extending to distinguished green bonds. This phenomenon persists whether the 5% annual fee for sustaining and managing the index combining green bonds and ESG equities is considered or not. Interestingly, an environmentally conscious economy, in both persistent and transient associations, consistently affects ecological bonds with diverse traits. This highlights the importance of the overall state of an environmentally responsible economy in enhancing green bonds. These discoveries provide novel perspectives for green market regulators and policymakers to design improved standards for green assets.

International food resource trade serves as a critical mechanism for ensuring global food security and promoting worldwide economic development, which involves multidimensional interactions spanning land, economic, and social factors. Utilizing panel data from 40 countries (2003–2023), this study establishes an evaluation index system for international food resource trade based on agricultural endowments, economic development, and geographic characteristics. QAP analysis was employed to systematically investigate the primary influencing factors of international food resource trade. Results indicate that per capita arable land area, national GDP, trade structure, and legal safeguards exert sustained and significantly positive effects on international food resource trade. Geographical distance between countries and population size demonstrates statistically insignificant impacts. Policy regimes—particularly disparities and uncertainties in tariff rates—impede international food resource trade. In conclusion, countries should strengthen cooperation to refine trade policies and legal frameworks through strategic alignment of food resource trade. Proactively establishing international food trade platforms will enhance the efficient allocation of global food resources and facilitate collective responses to global food security challenges.