Environmental pollution caused by many factors including energy use has been a major problem around the world. A sustainable energy structure can help improve environmental sustainability. The roles of green innovation and environmental policies in determining an effective energy structure and achieving environmental sustainability have gained attention in recent research, but there are gaps to fill. Given the rapid development and unification of Africa to boost economies, this article aims to establish whether or not green innovation and environmental policies have influenced energy structure and environmental sustainability. Thirty-one (31) countries out of the 55 African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) countries were used in the analysis. The study adopted the Fully modified ordinary least squares (FMOLS) and the Dynamic ordinary least squares (DOLS) models in its analysis. Major empirical results revealed that a 1% increase in green innovations reduces ecological footprints by 0.7% and 1% (DOLS and FMOLS). Also, a percentage increase in environmental policies can reduce ecological footprints by 10.12% (DOLS) and 21.87% (FMOLS). A 1% rise in renewable energy improves their environmental sustainability by 3.26% (DOLS) and 1.82% (FMOLS). A 1% consumption of non-renewable energy reduces environmental sustainability by 4.59% (DOLS) and 1.55% (FMOLS). These results provide insights into the importance of green innovation, environmental policy, and renewable energy in improving environmental sustainability. Stringent measures and policies to boost green investment, sustainable energies, and environmental sustainability are necessary for the region.

中文翻译：

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促进环境可持续发展的绿色创新、环境政策和能源结构的动态；来自非洲大陆自由贸易区国家的证据

包括能源使用在内的多种因素造成的环境污染已成为世界各地的一个主要问题。可持续的能源结构有助于提高环境的可持续性。绿色创新和环境政策在确定有效能源结构和实现环境可持续性方面的作用在最近的研究中引起了人们的关注，但仍有空白需要填补。鉴于非洲的快速发展和统一以促进经济发展，本文旨在确定绿色创新和环境政策是否影响了能源结构和环境可持续性。 55 个非洲大陆自由贸易区 (AfCFTA) 国家中的三十一 (31) 个国家用于分析。该研究在分析中采用了完全修改的普通最小二乘法（FMOLS）和动态普通最小二乘法（DOLS）模型。主要实证结果表明，绿色创新每增加 1%，生态足迹就会减少 0.7% 和 1%（DOLS 和 FMOLS）。此外，环境政策的百分比增加可以将生态足迹减少 10.12% (DOLS) 和 21.87% (FMOLS)。可再生能源每增加 1%，其环境可持续性就会提高 3.26% (DOLS) 和 1.82% (FMOLS)。不可再生能源消耗 1% 会使环境可持续性降低 4.59% (DOLS) 和 1.55% (FMOLS)。这些结果让我们深入了解绿色创新、环境政策和可再生能源在改善环境可持续性方面的重要性。该地区需要采取严格的措施和政策来促进绿色投资、可持续能源和环境可持续性。