**2.1 ICT-CO2 emissions**

The first stream of existing literature provides a wide range of studies with mixed results on ICT and environmental quality. For the influence of ICT on CO2 emissions, it differs from a study to another and from a country to another. For instance, AñónHigón et al. [15] conclude that, in the short run, ICT worsen the environmental quality; however in the long run, it improves through controlling CO2 emissions. In addition, Tamazian et al. [16] argues that well-developed financial systems affect positively the economic growth which leads to improving the industrial pollution. Also, Lee and Brahmasrene [17], using a panel of ASEAN countries, suggest that ICT affect positively and significantly the economic growth and CO2 emission. Besides, Malmodin and Lunden [18] demonstrate that the relationship between ICT usage, carbon emissions, and electricity consumption is positive and significant.

However, the second stream conclude the negative relationship between CO2 and ICT. In fact, Ollo-López and Aramendía-Muneta [19] confirm that ICT helps to decrease CO2 emissions. Besides, Coroama et al. [20] found that the ICT reduce the CO2 emission, especially the greenhouse gasses (GHGs). Recently, using the pooled mean grouped (PMG) method, Salahuddin et al. [21] also revealed that Internet use has a significant long-run relationship with CO2 emission in OECD countries. More recently, analyze the nexus between ICT and CO2 emissions in the case of 44 sub-Saharan African countries employing GMM model. Conclude that ICT has a significant impact on CO2 emission; but, when the square of ICT increases, the level of pollution mitigates. Also, a study done by Salahuddin et al. [21] confirms that economic growth, financial development, and trade decrease the level of CO2 emission. Similarly, using a panel of 12 Asian countries, Lu [22] analyzes the impact of ICT, financial development, energy consumption, and economic growth on environmental quality. He shows that the use of ICT decreases CO2 emission; but economic growth, financial development, and energy consumption increase CO2 emission. A study by Hart [23] also highlighted a negative relationship between ICT and the overall quantity of carbon gas emitted. In addition, Ozcan and Apergis [10] and Lu [22] observed that ICT reduced carbon emissions. Malmodin and Lunden [24] also proved that ICT led to a decline in carbon emissions in the entertainment and media sectors globally during the period from 2010 to 2015.

However, others researches examine the impact of ICT on CO2 emissions and found a nonsignificant relationship between these variables. In fact, Amri et al. [25] found a nonsignificant impact of ICT on CO2 emissions in the case of Tunisia over the period 1975–2014. Gelenbe and Caseau [26] also revealed that the effect of ICT on carbon emissions is mixed. This effect is influenced by the economic sectors involved. Similarly, Al-Mulali et al. [27] conclude that ICT measured by

the use of internet reduced CO2 emissions in developed nations, while the effect is insignificant in developing countries. Moreover, Zhang and Liu [28] conclude that ICT decreases the carbon emissions in the case of China over the period 2000–2010. This effect was found to be insignificant in the western region, while it was greater in the central region as well as in the eastern region.

#### **2.2 CO2 emissions-economic growth**

The second stream of existing literature provides empirical evidence on the relationship between economic growth and environmental quality. The context of economic growth in the region raises the question of the environment in the EKC hypothesis. This hypothesis stipulates that there is a positive relationship between income and CO2 emissions until an income threshold is reached, and after this level the correlation between these two variables becomes negative, i.e. when the income increases, CO2 emissions decrease. There are numerous studies testing for the causal link between carbon emissions and economic growth. In fact, Apergis and Payne [29], applying FMOL S model and Granger causality test in the case of six Central American countries, confirm the validity of environmental Kuznets curve (EKC). In addition, Pao and Tsai [30] aimed to explore the causal relationship between energy consumption, CO2 emission, foreign direct investment, and growth in the BRIC countries and Ukraine. The author found that exist a strong positive bi-directional causal relationship between these variables. Similarly, Narayan and Popp [31] aimed to explore the validity of the Environment Kuznets's Curve (EKC) hypothesis for 93 countries over the period from 1980 to 2004. Narayan and Popp [31] confirmed the existence of the long-run relationship between energy consumption and real GDP. Dogan and Turkekul [32] arrived at the same conclusion, using Bounds cointegration model and Granger causality test in the case of USA. However, Katircioglu and Katircioglu [33] found no evidence to support the existence of the EKC in the case of Turkey. Similarly, in a study for Malaysia over the period 1980–2009, Ozturk and Al-Mulali [27] failed to confirm the validity of the EKC. Similarly, Al-Mulali et al. [27] and Shahbaz et al. [34] confirmed the no validity of the EKC hypothesis over the period 1981–2011 and 1976–2016, respectively. There are a large number of papers empirically examining the issues of the impact of ICT and economic on environmental quality using the tools of econometric analysis.

#### **2.3 Interaction between ICT and GDP-CO2 emissions**

Studies on interaction between ICT and economic growth-environmental quality nexus is still limited. In this context, Danish et al. [14], using an AMG estimations models over the period 1990–2015, conclude that ICT and GDP stimulate the CO2 emissions. However, the interaction between GDP and ICT mitigates the level of pollution in emerging countries. Similarly, Tsaurai and Chimbo [11] examine the impact of ICT on CO2 emissions using different analysis methods (FMOLS, DOLS, fixed effects, and random effects) in emerging economies. He explores that ICT increase carbon emissions. But he concludes that the interaction between ICT and economic growth, in first hand, and the interaction between ICT and financial development, in second hand, reduce the carbon emissions.

### **3. Spatial study: a comparative analysis between Tunisia and Morocco**

The use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) is an essential factor for the emergence of the knowledge society and can actively contribute to

*Does the Interaction between ICT Diffusion and Economic Growth Reduce CO2 Emissions?… DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.102945*

human development, the improvement of social cohesion and the growth of the national economy.

The International Telecommunication Union (ITU), United Nations Development Agency specialized in information and communication technologies, has measured the development of information and communication technologies (ICTs) in 176 countries. The ITU report is the most reliable data collection and analysis, measuring the overall level of ICT development in the world through 11 indicators divided into three axes: access to ICT (including the number of fixed or mobile phone subscriptions per 100 people or international Internet bandwidth (bits/s) per Internet user), the use of ICT (for example the percentage of people using the Internet or the rate of fixed or mobile broadband subscriptions per 100 people), and finally, ICT skills (including the adult literacy rate or the higher enrollment rate).

At the Maghreb scale, Tunisia comes in second place behind Morocco (89th) in 2017 and ahead of Algeria (106th) and Mauritania (133rd), Libya not being ranked.

In Morocco, the telecommunications sector has undergone various changes that have contributed to its development: setting up the regulator, introducing new operators to the market, granting licenses …This brief history presents some key dates of the evolution of the Moroccan telecommunications sector. The Internet pool (fixed and mobile) reached 17.06 million subscribers, bringing the Internet penetration rate to 50.4%. This park recorded an evolution of 17.9% over 1 year. Outgoing mobile phone traffic slightly exceeded 14 billion minutes in the fourth quarter of 2016.


Morocco is moving in its development and modernization strategies towards the massive use of information and communication technologies (ICT) as a crucial lever for the creation of economic and social added value.

On the menu of this conclave are a series of lectures, keynotes, as well as training sessions able to reinforce the place of this forum as a place of exchange par excellence around a rapidly changing industry, allowing a real immersion in innovative technologies namely "identification system," "new payment channels," "digital banking," "mobile payment," "e-commerce."

Regarding Tunisia, it ranks 99th out of 176 countries in terms of ICT development in 2017, with a score of 4.82/ 10, thus falling by 4 positions compared to 2016, during which it was ranked 95th and had a score of 4.7/10. We therefore notice an improvement in the score.

Regarding the 3 aspects of ICT, at the level of access, Tunisia scores 5.11 / 10 compared to a world average of 5.59/ 10. On the side of use, it achieves the score of 4.11/ 10 for a global average of 4.26/ 10. For the "Skills" aspect, Tunisia gets the score of 5.67/ 10 for an average of 5.85/10.

At the level of the Arab countries, Tunisia ranks ninth out of the 19 countries studied, preceded by Kuwait (71st) and Jordan (70th), followed by Morocco, Algeria, Egypt, and Libya, which rank respectively 100th, 102nd, 103rd, and 115th globally.

#### **Figure 1.**

*Evolution of ICT equipment of individuals and households (2010–2016) in Morocco. Source: ANRT-2016 annual ICT market survey.*

Representing 11% of the GDP of Tunisia, a net exporter of computer software and services for TD 1000 million in 2017, the ICT sector is experiencing a start to the year 2018 on the heels of the momentum.

For example, last February, Arab Soft brought a 365.714 DT contract to the El Ghazela ICT division for the acquisition and implementation of an integrated software package. In the same month, the BITS Informatique company won a contract from the Tunisian Ministry of Social Affairs in the amount of 624,940 DT for the acquisition and implementation of IT solutions for hosting, for itself and the organizations under his supervision. Another SSII was awarded a project to acquire a set of budgeting, auditing, and business intelligence solutions for the amount of 250 thousand euros (750 thousand DT).

For the CO2 emissions, Tunisia and Morocco are trying to control pollution through its National Environmental Control Agency. However, these countries are dispersed throughout the middle of the 2018 global rankings, with Morocco (54th) leading the regional rankings and Tunisia (58th).

**Figures 2** and **3** show the positive trends of CO2 emissions and GDP in the majority of the years studied in both countries. A positive relationship could be expected from the co-movements of CO2 emissions and GDP.

#### **Figure 2.**

*Evolution of CO2 emissions (KT) (2010–2016) in Morocco and Tunisia. Source: Compiled from the World Bank database.*

*Does the Interaction between ICT Diffusion and Economic Growth Reduce CO2 Emissions?… DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.102945*

**Figure 3.**

*Evolution of CO2 emissions (KT) (2010–2016) in Morocco and Tunisia. Source: Compiled from the World Bank database.*
