Globalisation and environmental pressure in Europe: evidence from ecological footprint dynamics

Abstract Background Environmental degradation, as assessed by the ecological footprint, remains a significant global challenge. Although research has examined its linkages with globalisation, evidence remains fragmented and region-specific, thereby leaving uncertainties regarding global patterns and temporal causality. Methods This study examines the predictive causal dynamics based on Granger causality between globalisation and environmental degradation across 35 European countries from 1993 to 2023, using the panel and country-level Granger causality and Wavelet Coherence analyses. Given the strong regulatory architecture of the European Union, understanding how global economic integration interacts with environmental outcomes is crucial for designing effective regional environmental governance strategies. Results The findings demonstrate that environmental-globalisation dynamics in Europe operate through multi-scale interaction rather than uniform country-level pathways. These findings highlight the importance of supranational regulatory coordination within the European Union, where environmental governance is shaped not only by national policies but also by regional regulatory frameworks. Furthermore, the study’s findings underscore the importance of regional and country-specific policy implications. These patterns suggest potential heterogeneity across countries; however, given the statistical limitations associated with multiple testing and the small sample size. These findings should be interpreted as indicative rather than conclusive evidence of institutional differences. Time–frequency analysis reveals that globalisation intensifies ecological pressure in the short-term, while it demonstrates mitigating effects over the medium-term. This pattern is consistently observed across the empirical analysis. Conclusion By employing the ecological footprint as a comprehensive indicator and introducing the LJC heat map visualisation, this study advances methodological and empirical understanding of the globalisation-environmental nexus, while providing targeted policy insights for SDG-aligned sustainability strategies.