Does <scp>ESG</scp> Uncertainty Matter for Renewable and Nonrenewable Energy Consumption? Policy Implications in the Context of <scp>SDG</scp> 7 and <scp>SDG</scp> 13

ABSTRACT In the discourse on environmental sustainability and energy security, energy management is an inevitable policy issue that requires research‐based solutions. Based on this, the present study contributes by examining the impact of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) uncertainty on energy consumption patterns in the USA from 2002 to 2024. To tackle this, the novel wavelet quantile regression is employed as the baseline methodology, and wavelet quantile correlation is used in sensitivity analysis. The outcomes reveal a considerable negative relationship between ESG uncertainty and total energy consumption in the short and medium terms. In the long run, it becomes positive but with low intensity. The impact of ESG uncertainty on renewable energy consumption remains positive for all quantiles in the short, medium, and long run, with certain exceptions. The short‐ and medium‐term association between ESG uncertainty and nonrenewable energy consumption is negative across quantiles, with long‐run impact being weakly positive. Based on the inferences drawn, actions to limit ESG uncertainty and support the energy transition are proposed. The policy suggestions can also help to attain the SDG‐7 (clean energy) and SDG‐13 (climate change) through effective energy management policies.