Analyzing global inequality in access to energy: Developing policy framework by inequality decomposition.
Avik Sinha1, Daniel Balsalobre-Lorente2, Muhammad Wasif Zafar3
1Centre for Excellence in Sustainable Development, Goa Institute of Management, India.
Journal of Environmental Management
|December 19, 2021
Summary
Energy poverty is a global challenge, exacerbated by labor and energy market interactions. This study reveals rising inequality in energy access, potentially creating a vicious cycle hindering Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Area of Science:
- Economics
- Energy Policy
- Sustainable Development
Background:
- Energy poverty remains a critical global policymaking issue.
- Existing solutions often overlook the root causes of energy poverty.
- The interplay between labor and energy markets is a significant factor in energy access inequality.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze the components of inequality in energy access globally.
- To investigate the demand-side drivers of energy poverty.
- To inform policy for achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 7, 8, and 10.
Main Methods:
- Employed the Kaya-Theil Decomposition method.
- Conducted a global-level analysis from 1990 to 2019.
- Focused on demand-side factors influencing energy poverty.
Main Results:
- All components of energy access inequality showed an increasing trend during the study period.
- Identified a potential feedback loop contributing to a global 'Vicious Circle of Energy Poverty'.
- Highlighted the demand-side dimension as a key contributor to energy poverty.
Conclusions:
- Rising energy access inequality poses a significant threat to achieving global development objectives.
- The 'Vicious Circle of Energy Poverty' requires targeted policy interventions.
- Recommended a policy framework to address energy poverty and promote equitable energy access.
Related Concept Videos
01:10Energy Diagrams - II
4.8K
Energy diagrams are important to understand the dynamics of a system. The topology of an energy diagram helps illustrate the equilibrium points of the system.
The point in the energy diagram at which the system’s potential energy is the lowest is known as the local minima. The system tends to stay in this position indefinitely unless acted upon by a net force. The slope of the potential energy diagram at the local minima is zero, indicating that zero net force is acting on the system. The...
The point in the energy diagram at which the system’s potential energy is the lowest is known as the local minima. The system tends to stay in this position indefinitely unless acted upon by a net force. The slope of the potential energy diagram at the local minima is zero, indicating that zero net force is acting on the system. The...
4.8K
01:14Energy Diagrams - I
5.2K
The dynamics of a mechanical system can be easily understood by interpreting a potential energy diagram. Since energy is a scalar quantity, the interpretation of the dynamics of the system becomes even simpler.
Take the example of a skater on a parabolic ramp. The potential energy at different points along the ramp will be proportional to the height of the ramp, which varies quadratically with the horizontal position on the ramp. As the skater moves down the ramp from the highest position,...
Take the example of a skater on a parabolic ramp. The potential energy at different points along the ramp will be proportional to the height of the ramp, which varies quadratically with the horizontal position on the ramp. As the skater moves down the ramp from the highest position,...
5.2K
00:51Energy Budgets
9.8K
Organisms must balance energy intake with the energy required for growth, maintenance and reproduction. These trade-offs result in a variety of survivorship and reproductive strategies, including semelparity and iteroparity. Semelparous species, like annual plants, have only one reproductive episode in their lifetimes and consequently have short lifespans. Iteroparous species, by contrast, have many reproductive events during their lifetimes but have relatively few offspring. These two...
9.8K
01:12Power and Energy
1.3K
The power and energy delivered to an element are subjects of great significance in the field of electrical engineering. It is a well-known fact that a 100-watt light bulb emits more light than a 60-watt one. Therefore, power and energy calculations play a crucial role in the analysis of electrical circuits.
Power, defined as the time rate of expending or absorbing energy, is quantified in units called watts (W). The relation between power and energy is mathematically given as
Power, defined as the time rate of expending or absorbing energy, is quantified in units called watts (W). The relation between power and energy is mathematically given as
1.3K
01:17Energy and Power Signals
712
In an electrical system with a resistor, voltage and current signals facilitate the measurement of power and energy across the resistor. For a continuous-time signal, the total energy over a time interval is defined as the integral of the square of the signal's magnitude over that interval. Mathematically, this is expressed as:
712
01:16Energy Conservation and Bernoulli's Equation
9.7K
Applying the conservation of energy principle or the work-energy theorem to an incompressible, inviscid fluid in laminar, steady, irrotational flow leads to Bernoulli's equation. It states that the sum of the fluid pressure, potential, and kinetic energy per unit volume is constant along a streamline.
All the terms in the equation have the dimension of energy per unit volume. The kinetic energy per unit volume is called the kinetic energy density, and the potential energy per unit volume is...
All the terms in the equation have the dimension of energy per unit volume. The kinetic energy per unit volume is called the kinetic energy density, and the potential energy per unit volume is...
9.7K