Green Technological Innovation and Human Development in Resource-Dependent Economies: Structural Assessment of Iraq's Sustainable Growth Path
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Nadia MAHDI ABDUL KADER Department of Economics, College of Administration and Economics, University of Diyala, Iraq
This study investigates the role of green technological innovation in supporting structural economic transformation and human development in Iraq, a resource-dependent economy facing significant environmental pressures and institutional constraints. Using a descriptive–analytical approach covering the period 2014–2024, the research evaluates Iraq’s performance across key Human Development Index (HDI) components and selected green technological innovation indicators. The findings indicate that while government expenditure on education (3.9% of GDP) and health (4.2% of GDP) has remained relatively stable, green innovation capacity remains limited, with research and development (R&D) investment averaging only 0.04% of GDP and recycling rates remaining comparatively low. These results highlight a structural gap between social development investments and technological modernization.
Copyright© 2026 The Author(s). This article is distributed under the terms of the license CC-BY 4.0., which permits any further distribution in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Article’s history: Received 27th of December, 2026; Revised 9th of February, 2026; Accepted 1st of March, 2026; Available online: 15th of March, 2026. Published as article in the Volume XXI, Special Issue, 1(91), 2026.
Mahdi Abdul Kader, N. (2026). Green Technological Innovation and Human Development in Resource-Dependent Economies: Structural Assessment of Iraq's Sustainable Growth Path. Journal of Applied Economic Sciences, Volume XXI, Special issue, 1(91), 313 – 336. https://doi.org/10.57017/jaes.v21.si.1(91).16
Acknowledgments: The author extends sincere thanks and appreciation to the administration of the Department of Economics, College of Administration and Economics, University of Diyala, and to the College Deanship for their valuable support and constructive cooperation, which greatly contributed to the successful completion of this research.
Conflict of Interest Statement: The author declares that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.
Data Availability Statement: The data used in this study are derived from publicly available sources, including the Central Statistical Organization of Iraq (CSO), the World Bank, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the International Energy Agency (IEA), and the Global Innovation Index (WIPO). All datasets are accessible through the respective institutional databases and official reports cited in the reference list.
Ethical Approval Statement: This research is based exclusively on secondary data obtained from publicly available databases and official statistical reports. No human participants, personal data, or confidential information were involved in the study. Therefore, formal ethical approval was not required.
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