Structural Barriers to Sustainable Development in Tunisia: An Empirical Assessment of Economic, Institutional and Environmental Dynamics

Tunisia, a middle-income country navigating economic volatility and democratic transition, faces critical challenges in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This study aims to identify and analyze the structural barriers impeding progress toward sustainable development in Tunisia, focusing on three core dimensions: economic constraints, institutional weaknesses, and policy inconsistencies. Using annual time-series data from 1990 to 2022, the study employs an Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) model to explore both long-run and short-run relationships between sustainable development indicators (such as environmental quality and human development) and key explanatory variables, including GDP growth, governance quality, energy use, and investment in education and green sectors. The originality of this paper lies in its contextual focus on Tunisia—a country undergoing economic transition with significant development pressures—and in its dual approach that combines empirical modeling with institutional and policy analysis. By highlighting structural challenges and evaluating their interactions with sustainability dynamics, this research aims to contribute to a deeper understanding of the mechanisms limiting SDG progress in North African contexts. The findings will serve as a basis for formulating relevant development strategies tailored to the Tunisian case. JEL Codes: Keywords: Tunisia, sustainable development, ARDL model, institutional quality, economic constraints, SDGs.