Digitalisation, Green Finance, and Innovation for Environmental Sustainability: Evidence from BRICS+T Economies

Data Description of the StudyThis study investigates the relationship between digitalisation, green finance, green technology, human capital, institutional quality, and environmental sustainability within the BRICS+T economies, namely Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, and Turkey. The empirical analysis relies on annual time-series data covering major macroeconomic, technological, and environmental indicators used to evaluate sustainability dynamics in emerging economies.The dataset incorporates three environmental performance indicators as dependent variables. These indicators capture different dimensions of ecological sustainability.Load Capacity Factor (LCF)Measures the balance between a country’s ecological footprint and its biocapacity. A higher value reflects stronger environmental sustainability and efficient ecological resource use.Carbon Dioxide Emissions (CO₂)Represents the level of environmental pollution associated with economic activity and energy consumption.Ecological Footprint (EF)Indicates the level of pressure exerted by human activities on natural ecosystems through resource consumption and waste generation.To explain environmental performance, the study employs several explanatory variables representing technological, financial, institutional, and socio-economic drivers of sustainability.Digitalisation (DIGI) reflects the level of ICT development, internet penetration, and digital infrastructure adoption that enhances energy efficiency and information transparency.Green Finance (GF) captures financial flows directed toward environmentally sustainable projects, including green bonds, renewable energy investments, and climate finance instruments.Green Technology (GT) represents eco-innovation activities such as environmental patents, clean technology development, and research and development aimed at reducing environmental degradation.Human Capital Development (HCD) measures education, skills, and knowledge capacity that facilitate technology adoption and environmentally responsible behavior.Institutional Quality (IQ) reflects governance effectiveness, regulatory quality, and policy enforcement that support environmental protection and sustainable investment.Economic Growth (Y) is represented by GDP per capita, while squared income (Y²) is included to test the Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) hypothesis, which suggests that environmental degradation increases at early development stages but declines after reaching a higher income threshold.The data preparation process also considers structural shifts and economic shocks that may affect sustainability trends. Structural break tests, including Zivot–Andrews, Lee–Strazicich, and Bai–Perron multiple break tests, are applied to detect regime changes associated with global crises, policy reforms, and climate agreements.Overall, the dataset integrates environmental, economic, technological, and institutional indicators to provide a multidimensional representation of sustainability transitions in BRICS+T economies. This structure allows the study to evaluate both short-run and long-run relationships between digital transformation, financial development, technological innovation, and environmental performance.