Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 31, 2025
03:42
Author Spotlight: Advancing Place-Based Biochar Production for Ecosystem Restoration and Soil Health
Published on: April 5, 2024
974
Energy justice, democracy and deforestation
Alex O Acheampong1, Eric Evans Osei Opoku2
1Bond Business School, Bond University, Gold Coast, Australia; Centre for Data Analytics, Bond University, Gold Coast, Australia.
Journal of Environmental Management
|May 7, 2023
Summary
Improving energy justice and democracy in Sub-Saharan Africa reduces deforestation. Greater rural-urban equality in energy access, alongside democratic practices, intensifies this positive impact on forest conservation.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Science
- Development Studies
- Political Science
Background:
- Deforestation poses a significant threat to sustainable development, especially in tropical regions.
- Understanding the drivers of deforestation is crucial for effective conservation strategies.
- Energy justice and democratization are under-explored factors in deforestation research.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of energy justice, operationalized as rural-urban equality in energy access, on deforestation.
- To examine the role of democratization in mitigating deforestation.
- To analyze the interaction effect between energy justice and democracy on deforestation in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Main Methods:
- Panel data analysis of 47 Sub-Saharan African countries from 2000-2020.
- Dynamic two-step generalized method of moment (GMM) estimator.
- Robustness checks using the Driscoll-Kraay estimator and sub-regional analysis.
Main Results:
- Improved rural-urban equality in access to electricity and clean fuels is associated with reduced deforestation.
- Democracy is also linked to a decrease in deforestation rates.
- The study found that energy justice has a more pronounced deforestation-reducing effect in countries with higher levels of democracy.
Conclusions:
- Enhancing energy justice and promoting democracy are effective strategies for combating deforestation in Sub-Saharan Africa.
- The findings support the alignment of energy and governance policies with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 7, 13, 15, and 16.
- Policy interventions should consider the synergistic effects of energy access equity and democratic governance for sustainable land management.
Related Concept Videos
01:43Sustainable Development
13.4K
As the human population continues to grow and use resources, we must be mindful of our planet’s natural limits. Sustainable development provides a pathway to maintain and improve human life now while also ensuring that future generations will have the resources that they need. The long-term success of sustainability efforts rests on understanding the interplay between human actions and ecological systems.
13.4K
01:50Threats to Biodiversity
22.5K
There have been five major extinction events throughout geological history, resulting in the elimination of biodiversity, followed by a rebound of species that adapted to the new conditions. In the current geological epoch, the Holocene, there is a sixth extinction event in progress. This mass extinction has been attributed to human activities and is thus provisionally called the Anthropocene. In 2019 the human population reached 7.7 billion people and is projected to comprise 10 billion by...
22.5K
01:12Power and Energy
935
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
935
00:54Conservation of Energy
9.4K
The terms 'conserved quantity' and 'conservation law' have specific scientific meanings in physics, which differ from the meanings associated with their everyday use. For example, in everyday usage, water could be conserved by not using it, by using less of it, or by re-using it. However, in scientific terms, a conserved quantity of a system stays constant, changes by a definite amount that is transferred to other systems, and is converted into other forms of that...
9.4K
01:24Biodiversity and Human Values
13.3K
Human civilization relies on biodiversity in many ways. Sudden changes in species biodiversity result in environmental changes that can modify weather patterns and therefore human civilizations.
13.3K
01:57What is Conservation Biology?
18.5K
Conservation biology is a scientific field that focuses on the preservation of biodiversity in order to protect ecosystems while meeting the needs of the human population. Humans require properly functioning ecosystems to maintain our supply of natural resources, including food, medicines, and building materials.
18.5K