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Effects of income inequality and governance on energy poverty alleviation: Implications for sustainable development policy

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  • Acheampong, Alex O.
  • Shahbaz, Muhammad
  • Dzator, Janet
  • Jiao, Zhilun

Abstract

This paper examines the effects of income inequality and governance on access to electricity using a panel of 43 SSA countries from 1990 to 2017. The results from the two-step GMM estimator revealed that while income inequality substantially reduced access to electricity, governance has been ineffective in improving it. The findings showed that governance interacts with income inequality and economic growth to reduce access to electricity. Comparative analysis suggested that these findings vary among the SSA sub-regions. We argue that energy poverty alleviation requires firm political will and an effective governance system to close the income inequality gap.

Suggested Citation

  • Acheampong, Alex O. & Shahbaz, Muhammad & Dzator, Janet & Jiao, Zhilun, 2022. "Effects of income inequality and governance on energy poverty alleviation: Implications for sustainable development policy," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 78(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:juipol:v:78:y:2022:i:c:s0957178722000686
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jup.2022.101403
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Energy poverty; Governance; Income inequality; Sustainable development;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • O15 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Economic Development: Human Resources; Human Development; Income Distribution; Migration
    • P48 - Political Economy and Comparative Economic Systems - - Other Economic Systems - - - Legal Institutions; Property Rights; Natural Resources; Energy; Environment; Regional Studies
    • Q43 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Energy - - - Energy and the Macroeconomy

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