This paper examines the long-term and short-term relationships between economic growth, trade, industrialization, renewable energy consumption, and environmental degradation (CO2 emissions) in Bangladesh, India, and Pakistan from 1990 to 2022 using a panel autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) approach. The study employs correlation analysis, panel cointegration tests, and pooled ARDL to capture the dynamic interactions among variables. The results indicate a positive long-term relationship between GDP growth and CO2 emissions, supporting the Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) hypothesis. Trade and industrial growth also have a significant positive impact on emissions in the long run. Conversely, renewable energy consumption consistently shows a negative relationship with CO2 emissions in both the short and long term, highlighting its importance in reducing environmental degradation. The agriculture sector displays a mixed impact, contributing to emissions primarily through land-use changes. The error correction term from the panel ARDL model is statistically significant, confirming long-run equilibrium relationships. The study finds robust evidence of cointegration among the variables, suggesting that the countries are on a convergent path in terms of balancing economic growth and environmental sustainability. Policy recommendations include the enforcement of stricter environmental regulations, promotion of renewable energy, and sustainable trade practices to mitigate environmental harm while fostering economic growth

This article was submitted 03.10.2024