University of Tehran Journal of Environmental Studies 1025-8620 50 1 2024 05 21 The Effect of Natural Resource Rent on the Environmental Quality (Case Study: A Selection of MENA Countries) The Effect of Natural Resource Rent on the Environmental Quality (Case Study: A Selection of MENA Countries) 97 110 95884 10.22059/jes.2024.359287.1008413 FA Samaneh Moeinaddini Department of Agricultural Economics, Faculty of Agriculture, Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman, Kerman, Iran Mohammad Reza Zare Mehrjerdi Department of Agricultural Economics, Faculty of Agriculture, Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman, Kerman, Iran 0000-0003-4292-9988 Somayeh Amirtaimoori , Department of Agricultural Economics, Faculty of Agriculture, Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman, Kerman, Iran 0000-0003-3534-1203 Hossein Mehrabi Boshrabadi Department of Agricultural Economics, Faculty of Agriculture, Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman, Kerman, Iran Journal Article 2023 05 31 Today, environmental degradation is one of the most important issues that different countries are facing. Identifying factors affecting the environmental quality can be guidance for policy makers and planners to protect it. Therefore, in this study, the effect of various variables on the environmental quality has been investigated, emphasizing the natural resource rent in selected MENA countries (Middle East and North Africa) during 1994-2018. For this purpose, panel data approach was used. The results showed that the natural resource rent, human capital, energy consumption, democracy index, urbanization and economic growth have a positive and significant effect on the ecological footprint as a measure of environmental degradation, and income inequality has a negative and significant effect on the ecological footprint. Therefore, planners and policymakers should establish a balance between the supply and demand of natural resources and allocate a part of their income to investment in suitable and environmentally friendly technologies. It is important to hold training courses in the field of environmental protection and reducing the consumption of scarce resources, and human capital should be trained for green exploration, green production and green consumption. So, policies should be aimed at saving energy, increasing its efficiency, and developing the use of renewable energy sources. Today, environmental degradation is one of the most important issues that different countries are facing. Identifying factors affecting the environmental quality can be guidance for policy makers and planners to protect it. Therefore, in this study, the effect of various variables on the environmental quality has been investigated, emphasizing the natural resource rent in selected MENA countries (Middle East and North Africa) during 1994-2018. For this purpose, panel data approach was used. The results showed that the natural resource rent, human capital, energy consumption, democracy index, urbanization and economic growth have a positive and significant effect on the ecological footprint as a measure of environmental degradation, and income inequality has a negative and significant effect on the ecological footprint. Therefore, planners and policymakers should establish a balance between the supply and demand of natural resources and allocate a part of their income to investment in suitable and environmentally friendly technologies. It is important to hold training courses in the field of environmental protection and reducing the consumption of scarce resources, and human capital should be trained for green exploration, green production and green consumption. So, policies should be aimed at saving energy, increasing its efficiency, and developing the use of renewable energy sources. https://jes.ut.ac.ir/article_95884_30b945de99e190f59180f0ada6a7e63c.pdf