Search

Despite extensive global efforts, energy poverty remains a persistent issue, primarily affecting developing countries. While there have been numerous policy initiatives proposed in the academic literature to alleviate energy poverty, the potential of energy poverty alleviation through financial inclusion has received limited attention. To address this issue, this study is conducted using survey data from the Bangladesh Household Income and Expenditure Survey held during 2010 and 2016. A multilevel regression model is employed to identify the association between energy poverty and financial inclusion. The results reveal that households with financial inclusion experience significantly lower rates of acute and severe energy poverty by 13% and 33%, respectively, compared to those without financial inclusion. Moreover, to establish a causal relationship between financial inclusion and energy poverty, a propensity score matching and the Lewbel two-stage least square regression methods are employed in this paper. The findings indicate that female-headed households have a lower likelihood of severe energy poverty compared to male-headed households. Moreover, when comparing education levels within households, both males and females contribute equally to reducing energy poverty through financial inclusion. These research findings can inform policymakers in achieving Sustainable Development Goal 7 for universal access to affordable and modern energy. Role of gender in the financial inclusion-energy poverty nexus. [Display omitted] • This study investigates the gender dimensions of financial inclusion in addressing energy poverty. • Energy poverty exhibits notable disparities across different districts in Bangladesh. • A causal relationship exists between financial inclusion and energy poverty. • The study underscores financial inclusion as a significant policy approach for mitigating energy poverty. • Financial inclusion plays a crucial role in empowering female-headed households to effectively eradicate energy poverty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the impact of remittances on renewable energy consumption (REC) using a panel of 25 top remittance-receiving countries for 1990–2018. We use a generalized two-stage least squares random effect model to estimate the impact of remittance on renewable energy use. Results showed that remittances and REC have a generally positive relationship among the studied nations. Governments may create a system to incentivize remittance-receiving households to adopt and utilize more carbon-neutral energy devices at a lower cost if they pay with remittances. This approach could lead to higher societal adoption and consumption of green energy. Remittance and renewable energy consumption in the context of developing and developed countries. [Display omitted] • The generalized two-stage least square technique is used to estimate the impact of remittances. • Remittances have a positive effect on REC in the top 25 remittance-receiving countries. • The adoption of renewable energy via remittances is higher in developing nations. • Governments may incentivize carbon-neutral energy devices for remittance-receiving households. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Children are considered to be especially vulnerable to energy poverty; however, there has been little empirical research on how energy poverty affects early childhood development in energy-poor countries. To overcome this, here we measure energy poverty and early child development using a multidimensional approach based on data from national multiple indicator cluster surveys (MICS). Using this data, we utilize mediation techniques to empirically investigate the impact of energy poverty on early childhood development using two mediators, namely living standards and child health. The results suggest that energy poverty hampers childhood development through living standards and child health. Findings also confirm that early childhood development has a statistically significant relationship with the living standard of a household, child health, gender, age, home environment, quality of the care of the child, the mother's education level, education level of the household head and the region of residence. Finally, we propose viable policy strategies to prevent energy poverty to ensure proper child development for future generations to achieve relevant SDGs in the investigated nations. [Display omitted] • Calculation of adjusted multidimensional energy poverty score for energy poor nations. • Calculation of multidimensional early childhood development index. • Mediation analysis is employed using multiple indicator cluster survey data. • Energy poverty hampers childhood development through living standards and child health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates how sustainable economic development in emerging nations could be enhanced by realizing opportunities presented by the demographic dividend, the digital economy, and ensuring energy efficiency. To date, the linkage between demographic dividend, digital innovation, energy intensity, and sustainable economic growth has not been examined in detail. As such, the focus of this study is to investigate the dynamic linkages among these variables in thirty emerging economies employing advanced econometric methods utilizing panel estimations for the period of 1995–2018. Long-run results suggest that demographic dividend and digitalization stimulate sustainable economic growth in all quantiles. Moreover, energy intensity and economic sustainability are negatively associated with sustainable economic growth, while urbanization, capital formation, and industrialization are positively related. The policy implications of this study suggest that realizing the opportunities of the demographic dividend and the use of digital innovation in the energy sector will boost economic performance in the digital economy era. Furthermore, the findings lay the basis for policymakers to formulate policies better to accomplish the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) objectives. [Display omitted] • Demographic dividend, digitalization, and sustainable economic growth are analyzed. • Econometric approaches are used to explore the link among the variables. • Demographic dividend and digitalization enhance sustainable economic growth. • Energy intensity is negatively associated with sustainable economic growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several studies have investigated the effect of environmental taxes on economic growth and carbon emissions. However, limited studies have quantitatively identified the connection between environmental taxes and technological innovations. The main focus of this study is to investigate the causal relations between environmental taxes and environment-related technological innovation with a holistic, robust model with significant statistical power. This model consists of panel cointegration analysis considering the cross-sectional dependence, applied to quantify the effects of environmental taxes on environment-related technological innovation in high and middle-income 42 countries from 1995 to 2018. The long-run results suggest that environmental taxes stimulate technological innovation; for example, a 1% increase in environmental taxes was found to increase environment-related technological innovation by 0.57 and 0.78% on average for high and middle-income countries using the CCEMG and AMG techniques, respectively. The policy implications of this study suggest that imposing environmental taxes can accelerate the advancement of environmental-related technologies for reducing carbon emission and sustainable development in high and middle-income nations, with possible applications in a broad range of nations, particularly as an evidence base for developing nations to shorten energy transition timelines. [Display omitted] • Econometric methods were applied to clarify the relationship between environmental taxes and technological innovation. • Builds on prior studies, employing a robust, statistically powerful approach. • Results identify that environmental taxes stimulate technological innovation in high and middle-income nations. • The proposed policy can be applied for developing nations to shorten their energy transition timelines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many countries have considered energy subsidies, with both successes and failures. Energy subsidies often have failed to achieve their stated objective of advancing national economic, social, and technological progress. Budgetary savings from the removal of energy subsidies and the resulting upsurge in energy prices may induce the adoption of innovative technologies in a country. The economic impact of energy subsidies has been analyzed for many countries in the literature. However, this issue with energy technology innovation using panel analysis has not yet been thoroughly investigated. Therefore, this study is intended to discover the effect of energy subsidies on energy technology innovation in the 25 highest energy subsidy-providing countries for the period of 2010–2020, employing advanced econometric approaches. The results confirm that energy subsidies and energy technology innovation are significantly cointegrated, and the removal of energy subsidies stimulates technological innovation, which induces the adoption of a renewable-based polygeneration system. The policy implication of this paper suggests going for further innovations in energy subsidy reforms for sustainability and technological innovation for polygeneration that may contribute to clean, sustainable, and affordable energy for all (SDG-7). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the impact of remittances on multidimensional energy poverty in Bangladesh by employing a nationally representative Household Income and Expenditure Survey (HIES)-2016 with a sample size of 46,080 households. Remittance is one of the sources of household income that can be utilized for energy services. Energy poverty is generally described and quantified at the household level, exposing potential household characteristics in terms of energy costs and benefits and access to energy services. Controlling for the relevant characteristics of investigated households, mixed-effect linear regression, two-stage least square, and generalized ordered logistic regression reveal that households with remittance income have a significantly lower level of multidimensional energy poverty in Bangladesh. The outcomes of this work advocate that an upsurge in remittance inflow engenders a strong contribution toward alleviating energy poverty in Bangladesh and likely in other developing nations. National programs should be established for devising policies to promote migrant workers, lowering energy costs at the household level, and investing remittance income into modern energy technologies to ensure and enhance access to clean energy sources. [Display omitted] • The link between remittances and multidimensional energy poverty is analyzed. • Multidimensional energy poverty Index is measured for Bangladesh. • Remittance inflows significantly reduce multidimensional energy poverty. • Lowering energy costs and investing remittance income into modern technologies are required to overcome energy poverty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water conservation is vital to safeguard future water availability when natural resources like water become extremely scarce. It is fundamental to understand the significant determinants of water conservation activities which can also facilitate the implementation of appropriate policies for water demand management. Thus, the goal of this study was to determine the important social, psychological, and behavioral factors of water conservation behavior. A questionnaire survey was used to collect the data from 625 international students and employees from different universities in Japan. The structural equation modeling demonstrated that the proposed model explained 46% of the variation in water conservation behavior. Awareness of water issues was highly related to attitude, responsibility, and culture. Except for culture, attitude and responsibility were significantly connected with emotion. Finally, emotion, habit, culture and involvement were significantly and positively associated with water conservation behavior. These factors are incorporated for the first time in this study into a single model to better understand individual water conservation behavior. The sequential regression model showed that all determinants including demographic factors raised the variation's proportion by 53% in water conservation. Female participants had a significantly higher positive attitude, emotion, and water conservation behavior than male participants. Older participants exhibited higher levels of awareness, habit, culture, and water conservation behavior when compared to younger people. Lastly, participants believed that the most dominant component in water conservation behavior was the awareness of water issues. These findings could assist policymakers in raising household awareness, accountability, and involvement towards water conservation efforts. [Display omitted] • We assessed the impact of socio-psychological and behavioral factors on water conservation. • The structural equation model and sequential regression model were used. • Conservation behavior was linked to social, psychological and behavioral factors. • The most dominant component in water conservation behavior was awareness. • Addition of demographic factors raised the amount of variation from 46% to 53%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Public investments in research, development, demonstration, and deployment in energy systems are crucial for accelerating the adoption of new energy technologies that can support a low-carbon just energy transition and promote the fair and equitable distribution of benefits and costs, improving social equity. However, the impact of energy innovation funding on social equity through progressing the just energy transition has not been explored in prior research for advanced economies. Thus, this research quantitively examines how energy innovation funding affects social equity in 23 developed economies for the period of 1995–2020. Employing a fixed effect, augmented mean group, and a system-generalized method of moments technique along with a mediating model, this study finds that increasing energy innovation funding significantly improves social equity directly as well as indirectly via accelerating energy justice in advanced economies. Therefore, proper allocation and utilization of public energy innovation budgets are necessary to promote clean energy technologies, advance the just energy transition, and improve social equity, inclusion, and community engagement. This study emphasizes the importance of policy interventions that promote a just energy transition and energy innovation funding to build resilient and inclusive energy systems that improve social equity while achieving Sustainable Development Goal 7, affordable and clean energy. • Energy innovation funding is crucial for sustainable, equitable energy systems. • Just energy transition and social equity are positively linked. • Energy innovation funding impacts social equity via just energy transition. • Combining just energy transition and energy innovation funding can promote social equity. • Policy interventions promoting just energy transition are crucial for social equity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the impact of effective energy policy interventions on reducing energy poverty in the emerging nations of the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region. Existing literature lacks a detailed investigation into the connection between energy policy and sustainable energy development for addressing energy poverty. Consequently, this work explores the dynamics of energy policy interventions in alleviating energy poverty in 42 emerging economies in the APAC region by engaging enhanced econometric approaches and panel estimates covering the period of 2000–2019. Analyzing the accessibility of energy, clean cooking fuel and technologies, and energy consumption level, this paper investigates energy poverty from a macro standpoint considering energy policy interventions in APAC emerging nations. The results suggest that energy policies, comprising laws, regulations, and strategies, are negatively associated with energy poverty. Among these, well-planned, forward-looking strategies are more successful in alleviating energy poverty. The implications of this study provide a framework for formulating necessary energy policies to realize the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG7, which focuses on affordable and clean energy for all. Role of Energy policies interventions on energy poverty. [Display omitted] • Effective energy policy intervention in alleviating energy poverty is evaluated. • Energy policies, comprising laws, regulations, and strategies, are negatively associated with energy poverty. • Well-planned strategies are more effective in eradicating energy poverty. • The right energy policies contribute to accomplishing SDG-7, which is affordable and clean energy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the effect of remittance income on energy consumption and the economy between 1976 and 2019 in the four highest remittance recipient nations of South Asia. The detailed analysis explores long-run and directional relationships utilizing stationary tests, the panel cointegration test, dynamic ordinary least square (DOLS), fully modified ordinary least square (FMOLS), and Granger causality tests using a Vector Error Correction Model (VECM). The study reveals the presence of long-run relationships among remittances, energy consumption, GDP and urbanization. Cointegrating regression identifies that remittance income, economic growth and urbanization individually have a positive and significant effect on energy consumption in the long-run. Results showed that a 1% increase in remittance income results in a 0.045% increase in energy consumption. Among nations analyzed, this effect was found to be strongly dominant in case of Bangladesh and Pakistan. The statistically significant and negative coefficient of the error correction term confirms long-run causality from remittance, GDP, and urbanization toward energy consumption. Variance decomposition analysis demonstrated that energy usage is heavily impacted by remittance inflows among studied variables. Policy implications of this study suggest that higher remittance inflows will increase energy consumption in South Asian countries, engendering positive economic growth and sustainable development. Image 1 • The effects of remittance on energy consumption studied for South Asian countries. • Novel statistical approaches applied to explore the causality and direction between remittance income and energy use. • Remittance income provides a potential stimulus toward national investments and ensures reliable and clean energy sources. • It is evidence that 1% raise in remittance income results in a 0.045% increase in energy consumption in the long run. • Policy makers can formulate strategic plans for migrant workers to ensure affordable clean energy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]