High‐Tech Industry and Ecological Sustainability: Research on the French Manufacturing Sector

ABSTRACT The escalating ecological crisis requires a fundamental overhaul of national industrial systems to transition to a green economy. High‐tech manufacturing, a key sign of industrial change, can be pivotal for environmental sustainability. Based on the combined principles of the Porter Hypothesis and the Natural Resource‐Based View, this study proposes that strict ecological regulations act as an external “pull,” while strategic organizational innovation provides an internal “push,” driving economies toward sophisticated, knowledge‐based industrialization that balances economic growth with ecological constraints. It examines the ecological effects of high‐tech manufacturing in France, a leading European Union industrial economy and climate policy pioneer. The analysis employs the Augmented ARDL model, which accounts for structural breaks to capture long‐term changes and policy effects, using data from 1990 to 2022. Additionally, the study explores the ecological impact of low‐carbon energy, human capital, economic growth, and globalization. Findings indicate that high‐tech manufacturing and low‐carbon energy use enhance France's ecological health over time. Human capital positively influences environmental performance by fostering innovation and resilience, whereas economic growth tends to harm the environment, underscoring the need to reconsider growth‐centered economic models. Globalization presents a complex pattern in which long‐term environmental challenges balance short‐term benefits. The research provides valuable policy recommendations for advancing France's ecological goals within frameworks such as the European Green Deal, Fit for 55, and the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly Goals 7, 8, 9, and 13.