Advancing <scp>SDG</scp> 7 and <scp>SDG</scp> 13 Through Renewable Energy Adoption: The Roles of Human Capital, Eco‐Innovation, Trade, and Economic Growth in the <scp>E7</scp>

ABSTRACT Seeking to achieve Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 7 (Affordable and clean energy) and SDG 13 (Climate action), it is essential to accelerate the global shift from fossil fuels to renewable energy (REN). This study examines the determinants of RE in the Emerging Seven (E7) economies between 1990 and 2023, focusing on innovative factors. We then estimate how Human Capital Index (HCI), eco‐innovation (EINE), population growth (POP), trade openness (TO), and economic growth (GDP) impact renewable energy transition by employing the moments quantile regression and two‐stage least squares (2SLS) panel econometric approaches to capture short‐ and long‐run dynamics, cross‐country heterogeneity, and endogeneity problems. Eco‐innovating, building human capital, and opening trade correlate negatively with renewable energy consumption, suggesting they favor carbon intensity. Economic growth doesn't strongly drive renewable energy investments, indicating economic affluence doesn't automatically translate into increased investment in renewables. Because of demographic shifts, fossil fuel use in POP is self‐reinforcing, but non‐fossil fuel use is self‐limiting as clean infrastructure and access to energy are adopted. Sustainable energy systems depend on population scenarios. Thus, E7 countries should direct innovation to renewable energy, improve education and skills to fit the green economy, and promote cleaner imports and exports. Energy and demographic planning may help E7 countries with higher POP to decouple sooner from fossil fuels. They can align human, technological, and economic capacities to realize SDG 7 and SDG 13 in these E7 economies.