The increase in world carbon emissions is always in line with national economic growth programs, which create negative environmental externalities. To understand the effectiveness of related factors in mitigating CO₂ emissions, this study investigates the intricate relationship among macro-pillars such as economic growth, foreign investment, trade and finance, energy, and renewable energy with CO₂ emissions of the high gross domestic product economies in East Asia Pacific, such as China, Japan, Korea, Australia and Indonesia (EAP-5). Through the application of the Vector Error Correction Model (VECM), this research reveals the long-term equilibrium and short-term dynamics between CO₂ emissions and selected factors from 1991 to 2020. The long-term cointegration vector test results show that economic growth and foreign investment contribute to carbon reduction. Meanwhile, the short-term Granger causality test shows that economic growth has a two-way causality towards carbon emissions, while energy consumption and renewable energy consumption have a one-way causality towards carbon emissions. In contrast, the variables trade, foreign direct investment, and domestic credit to the private sector do not have two-way causality towards CO₂ emissions. The findings reveal that economic growth and foreign investment play significant roles in carbon reduction, which are observed in long-term causality relationships, while energy consumption and renewable energy are notable factors. Thus, the study offers implications for mitigating environmental concerns on national economic growth agendas by scrutinizing and examining the efficacy of related factors.

This paper aims to provide a comprehensive view of the E-Government Development Index analysis in Southeast Asia. Through a review of the results of an annual survey of 192 United Nations (UN) member states, the study identified 11 countries with the E-Government Development Index in Southeast Asia. The findings in this study revealed that the E-Government Development Index (EGDI) in Southeast Asian countries displays different levels of development. Singapore, Malaysia, and Brunei are the countries in the region with the highest EGDI scores. Singapore leads the area with a high EGDI score. These countries have effectively implemented advanced e-government services, such as online public services, digital infrastructure, and e-participation, which have greatly improved the quality of life of their citizens and the efficiency of their government function. On the other hand, countries such as Cambodia, Laos, and Myanmar lag in their e-government development as a result of factors such as limited Internet access, inadequate digital infrastructure, and low levels of digital literacy among the populations of these countries. In addition, some moderate progress has been made in the development of e-government in mid-level countries, such as Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Vietnam. These countries continue to improve their digital infrastructure and enhance their e-service offerings to close the digital divide. Overall, EGDI in Southeast Asia reflects different levels of digital transformation in the region, with each country facing its distinct set of difficulties and opportunities when it comes to leveraging technology for better governance and public service delivery.

This study aimed to examine the impact of Environmental, Social, and Corporate Governance (ESG) scores and Country Governance Indicators (CGI) on companies’ value. The study procedures were carried out by creating a linear empirical model where the dependent variable was companies’ value. In addition, the variables of interest in the model were ESG scores and CGI. Analysis was carried out on annual data from 278 non-financial Asian companies spanning 11 years from 2011–2021. The feasible generalized least squares (FGLS) method was used for estimation due to the presence of serial correlation and heteroscedasticity in the data obtained. The results showed the presence of a positive relationship and correlation between ESG scores and companies’ value. Meanwhile, CGI had a negative impact, revealing the potential difficulties caused by country governance framework. This study also found a positive correlation between CGI and ESG on company value. These findings have important practical contributions emphasizing the significance of ESG factors in improving companies’ value and the complex relationship between country governance and corporate valuation.