Do Renewable Energy and the Real Estate Market Promote Environmental Quality in South Africa: Evidence from the Bootstrap ARDL Approach
, Daniel Balsalobre-Lorente 3,4,*, Ahmed Samour 5, Foday Joof 6, Mumtaz Ali 7 and Turgut Tursoy 7
Round 1
Reviewer 1 Report
This paper is on an interesting topic and is worthy of investigation. The results are good and the contribution is significant. In addition, the methodology is also new.
· Many abbreviations are used in the paper disregarding the standard practice to define the abbreviation for the first time. Thus, abbreviations must be defined in the text on their first use. This is a standard practice that must be followed when preparing articles for sustainability.
· In the literature section, recent studies related to the topic are missing. Please try to discuss some recent studies published in 2020, 2021, and 2022.
· I would recommend adding a graphical presentation of the dataset using some maps.
· The methodology is good and I am satisfied with it.
· The policy dimension can be expanded to improve the paper.
· For Tables, the formatting is poor with excessively highlighted border lines that are not congruent with Sustainability journals or APA presentation styles.
· There are no limitations and directions for future research in the conclusion.
· The English language used in the paper can be edited and improved.
Author Response
The paper is on an interesting topic and is worthy of investigation. The results are good and the contribution is significant. In addition, the methodology is also new.
Point # 1. Many abbreviations are used in the paper disregarding the standard practice to define the abbreviation for the first time. Thus, abbreviations must be defined in the text on their first use. This is a standard practice that must be followed when preparing articles for sustainability.
Response 1: Thank you for your valuable comment. As per standard practice the abbreviation for the first time has been defined in the entire text
Point # 2. In the literature section, recent studies related to the topic are missing. Please try to discuss some recent studies published in 2020, 2021, and 2022.
Response 2: Thank you for your valuable comments, we have added more recent studies published in 2020, 2021, and 2022.
Point # 3. I would recommend adding a graphical presentation of the dataset using some maps.
Response 3: Thank you for your valuable comments; We have added graphical presentation of the dataset using some maps
Point #4. The methodology is good and I am satisfied with it.
Response 4: Thank you for your comment
Point # 5. The policy dimension can be expanded to improve the paper.
Response 5: The policy suggestions are revised following your suggestion. Please see the page # 21 and lines # 487-502
Fourthly, authorities should initiate taxonomy regulations to guide the investment decision of real estate firms toward a sustainable environment. This can be achieve creating awareness among stakeholder in the real estate industry; building and strengthening the law enforcing institutions, by developing the necessary capacity to enable them asses environmental impacts arising from the activities of this sector. Finally, authorities should initiate a policy coordination among all the facets of the economy, especially the with the financial sector which provides capital to the real estate industry, because low or zero-carbon emission cannot be achieve in the absence of finance.
Point # 6. For Tables, the formatting is poor with excessively highlighted border lines that are not congruent with Sustainability journals or APA presentation styles.
Response # 6: Thank you for your comment all tables has been updated as per Sustainability journal following https://doi.org/10.3390/su142215446 and https://doi.org/10.3390/en15030763 published recently in sustainability journal.
Point# 7. There are no limitations and directions for future research in the conclusion
Response 7: Thank you for your valuable comments, We have added the limitations and directions for future research in the conclusion
Point # 8. The English language used in the paper can be edited and improved
Response 8: Thank you reviewer for your valuable feedback. We have carefully read our manuscript and made suitable changes for spell-checking, grammar, and punctuation to improve the quality of our manuscript. Additionally, the manuscript is also checked and corrected by a native English-speaking colleague.
Reviewer 2 Report
It is important research that can show the relationship between the renewable energy and the rea estate market. However, in your analysis, compared with the result of result. It should be summarized in the part of literature review. The part of analysis should lead to your own conclusion. In conclusion, part5, you should conclude with your analysis result from analysis. For figure, you should ·add the expiation for the axis to make it easy to understand.
Author Response
Point # 1. It is important research that can show the relationship between the renewable energy and the rea estate market. However, in your analysis, compared with the result of result. It should be summarized in the part of literature review. The part of analysis should lead to your own conclusion. In conclusion, part5, you should conclude with your analysis result from analysis. For figure, you should ·add the expiation for the axis to make it easy to understand.
Response.1: Thank you for your valuable comments: we have revised it based on your comment:
Based on the literatures discussed above, we made the following deduction or summary: only few studies examine the link among the real estate market and CO2 emissions see: Qashou et al., (2021) explored how Turkey's real estate industry affected environmental quality, Wei and Kong, (2021) explored the influence of real estate development on environmental degradation in a “panel of 30 provinces of China” spanning data from 2000 to 2013. However, none of the researchers have looked at how the real estate sector affects environmental quality in Africa, specifically south Africa who is the largest CO2 emitter in the region.
Point # 2. The part of analysis should lead to your own conclusion However, in your analysis, compared with the result of result.
Response.2: Thank you for your valuable comment to boost he quality of journal. The analysis part has been updated and linked with conclusions part.
Point # 3. For figure, you should ·add the expiation for the axis to make it easy to understand.
Response 3: Thank you for your valuable comments; we have added the expiation for the axis for the figures
Reviewer 3 Report
This paper explores the impact of economic growth, and energy use on environmental quality; the role of the real estate market on environmental quality in South Africa. The paper is well-written and can be recommended for publication after the incorporation of the following points.
1. Introduction and literature section should be combined and concised.
2. Problem formulation section should be clearly reported.
3. The quality of the figures must be improved.
Author Response
This paper explores the impact of economic growth, and energy use on environmental quality; the role of the real estate market on environmental quality in South Africa. The paper is well-written and can be recommended for publication after the incorporation of the following points.
Point # 1. Introduction and literature section should be combined and concised.
Response 1: Thank you for your comment; according to the MDPI format the introduction and literature review are spread so we have arranged the introduction and literature review according to the MDPI format.
Point # 2. Problem formulation section should be clearly reported.
Response 2: Thank you for your valued comments. The problem formulation section in the introduction has been updated.
Point # 3. The quality of the figures must be improved
Response 3: Thank you for your valuable comments; We have improved the quality of the figures
Round 2
Reviewer 3 Report
Authors have incorporated all the required changes.
