IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/juipol/v95y2025ics0957178725000505.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Spatial spillover effects of gender inequality on the path to energy transition and environmental sustainability in Asia

Author

Listed:
  • Kuşkaya, Sevda
  • Muğaloğlu, Erhan
  • Awan, Ashar
  • Khan, Kamran
  • Alnour, Mohammed
  • Magazzino, Cosimo
  • Hoque, Mohammad Enamul
  • Bilgili, Faik

Abstract

This paper investigates the spatial spillover effects of gender inequality on energy transition and environmental sustainability in selected Asian countries by applying three spatial panel models: SAR, SEM, and SDM. The two major findings are that (1) gender inequality enhances access to clean fuels, whereas gender inequality and gender unemployment in the neighboring countries hindered access to clean energy in the home country, and (2) female labor force participation both in the home country and in the neighboring countries enhanced access to clean energy. The findings underscore the need for coordinated regional efforts to tackle gender inequality and drive environmental sustainability.

Suggested Citation

  • Kuşkaya, Sevda & Muğaloğlu, Erhan & Awan, Ashar & Khan, Kamran & Alnour, Mohammed & Magazzino, Cosimo & Hoque, Mohammad Enamul & Bilgili, Faik, 2025. "Spatial spillover effects of gender inequality on the path to energy transition and environmental sustainability in Asia," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 95(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:juipol:v:95:y:2025:i:c:s0957178725000505
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jup.2025.101935
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0957178725000505
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.jup.2025.101935?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to

    for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Oryani, Bahareh & Kamyab, Hesam & Mоridiаn, Аli & Azizi, Zahra & Rezania, Shahabaldin & Chelliapan, Shreeshivadasan, 2022. "Does structural change boost the energy demand in a fossil fuel-driven economy? New evidence from Iran," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 254(PC).
    2. Sumarno, Theresia B. & Yusgiantoro, Inka B. & Fitriyanti, Vivi & Khusna, Vivid A., 2024. "Challenges in increasing Women's participation in the energy transition in ASEAN and G7 countries: A qualitative approach based on the three tenets of justice," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 191(C).
    3. Sedai, Ashish Kumar & Nepal, Rabindra & Jamasb, Tooraj, 2021. "Flickering lifelines: Electrification and household welfare in India," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 94(C).
    4. Taryn Dinkelman, 2011. "The Effects of Rural Electrification on Employment: New Evidence from South Africa," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 101(7), pages 3078-3108, December.
    5. Jacques Fotso, Willy & Mvogo, Gregory & Bidiasse, Honoré, 2023. "Household access to the public electricity grid in Cameroon: Analysis of connection determinants," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 81(C).
    6. Rafael Alvarado & Cristian Ortiz & Lizeth Cuesta & Brayan Tillaguango, 2023. "Spillovers impact of institutional and economic factors in energy intensity," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 31(3), pages 1805-1823, June.
    7. Feenstra, Mariëlle & Özerol, Gül, 2021. "Energy justice as a search light for gender-energy nexus: Towards a conceptual framework," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 138(C).
    8. Mani,Muthukumara S. & Gopalakrishnan,Badri Narayanan & Wadhwa,Deepika, 2020. "Regional Integration in South Asia : Implications for Green Growth, Female Labor Force Participation, and the Gender Wage Gap," Policy Research Working Paper Series 9119, The World Bank.
    9. Bipasha Baruah, 2017. "Renewable inequity? Women's employment in clean energy in industrialized, emerging and developing economies," Natural Resources Forum, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 41(1), pages 18-29, February.
    10. Burke, Paul J. & Dundas, Guy, 2015. "Female Labor Force Participation and Household Dependence on Biomass Energy: Evidence from National Longitudinal Data," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 67(C), pages 424-437.
    11. Li, Zhiqun & Xie, Shang & Wei, Dongming, 2025. "Household energy poverty and personal time allocation: Empirical evidence from China," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 93(C).
    12. Bonan, Jacopo & Pareglio, Stefano & Tavoni, Massimo, 2017. "Access to modern energy: a review of barriers, drivers and impacts," Environment and Development Economics, Cambridge University Press, vol. 22(5), pages 491-516, October.
    13. Banerjee, Rajabrata & Mishra, Vinod & Maruta, Admasu Asfaw, 2021. "Energy poverty, health and education outcomes: Evidence from the developing world," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 101(C).
    14. Bindu Shrestha & Sudarshan R. Tiwari & Sushil B. Bajracharya & Martina M. Keitsch & Hom B. Rijal, 2021. "Review on the Importance of Gender Perspective in Household Energy-Saving Behavior and Energy Transition for Sustainability," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(22), pages 1-18, November.
    15. Li, Xinghao & An, Lufeng & Zhang, Dayong & Lee, Chi-Chuan & Yu, Chin-Hsien, 2024. "Energy access and female labor force participation in developing countries," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 199(C).
    16. Acheampong, Alex O. & Dzator, Janet & Shahbaz, Muhammad, 2021. "Empowering the powerless: Does access to energy improve income inequality?," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 99(C).
    17. Acheampong, Alex O. & Erdiaw-Kwasie, Michael Odei & Abunyewah, Matthew, 2021. "Does energy accessibility improve human development? Evidence from energy-poor regions," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 96(C).
    18. Hwang, Young Kyu & Sánchez Díez, Ángeles, 2024. "Renewable energy transition and green growth nexus in Latin America," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 198(C).
    19. Rustagi, Niharika & Opoku, Eric Evans Osei & Acheampong, Alex O., 2024. "Does gender diversity in politics improve access to electricity and electrification inequality? A global analysis," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 131(C).
    20. Imelda, Imelda, 2019. "Cooking that Kills : Cleaner Energy, Indoor Air Pollution, and Health," UC3M Working papers. Economics 27982, Universidad Carlos III de Madrid. Departamento de Economía.
    21. Chen, Jiahui & Liao, Hua & Zhang, Tong, 2024. "Empowering women substantially accelerates the household clean energy transition in China," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 187(C).
    22. Zhao, Jing & Zhao, Ziru & Zhang, Huan, 2021. "The impact of growth, energy and financial development on environmental pollution in China: New evidence from a spatial econometric analysis," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 93(C).
    23. Chakravarty, Shoibal & Tavoni, Massimo, 2013. "Energy poverty alleviation and climate change mitigation: Is there a trade off?," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 40(S1), pages 67-73.
    24. Meital Rosenberg & Daniel Erian Armanios & Michaël Aklin & Paulina Jaramillo, 2020. "Evidence of gender inequality in energy use from a mixed-methods study in India," Nature Sustainability, Nature, vol. 3(2), pages 110-118, February.
    25. Yasmin, Nazia & Grundmann, Philipp, 2020. "Home-cooked energy transitions: Women empowerment and biogas-based cooking technology in Pakistan," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 137(C).
    26. Atif, Muhammad & Hossain, Mohammed & Alam, Md Samsul & Goergen, Marc, 2021. "Does board gender diversity affect renewable energy consumption?," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 66(C).
    27. Schoonjans, Eline, 2024. "From diversity to sustainability: Environmental and social spillover effects of board gender quotas," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 222(C), pages 314-331.
    28. Ampofo, Akwasi & Cheng, Terence C. & Doko Tchatoka, Firmin, 2022. "Oil extraction and spillover effects into local labour market: Evidence from Ghana," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 106(C).
    29. Han, Jiashi & Zhang, Lei & Li, Yang, 2022. "Spatiotemporal analysis of rural energy transition and upgrading in developing countries: The case of China," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 307(C).
    30. Acheampong, Alex O. & Opoku, Eric Evans Osei & Amankwaa, Afua & Dzator, Janet, 2024. "Energy poverty and gender equality in education: Unpacking the transmission channels," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 202(C).
    31. Opoku, Eric Evans Osei & Kufuor, Nana Kwabena & Manu, Sylvester Adasi, 2021. "Gender, electricity access, renewable energy consumption and energy efficiency," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 173(C).
    32. Novice Patrick Bakehe, 2022. "Energy poverty: consequences for respiratory health and labour force participation in Cameroon," Journal of Environmental Economics and Policy, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 11(3), pages 235-247, July.
    33. Homroy, Swarnodeep, 2023. "GHG emissions and firm performance: The role of CEO gender socialization," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 148(C).
    34. Mehmood, Asad & De Luca, Francesco & Quach, Hao, 2023. "Investigating how board gender diversity affects environmental, social and governance performance: Evidence from the utilities sector," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 83(C).
    35. Amjad Naveed & Nisar Ahmad & Amber Naz & Aziza Zhuparova, 2023. "Economic development through women’s economic rights: a panel data analysis," International Economics and Economic Policy, Springer, vol. 20(2), pages 257-278, May.
    36. Bukari, Chei & Broermann, Shanaz & Okai, Davidson, 2021. "Energy poverty and health expenditure: Evidence from Ghana," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 103(C).
    37. Jochen Markard, 2018. "The next phase of the energy transition and its implications for research and policy," Nature Energy, Nature, vol. 3(8), pages 628-633, August.
    38. Sedai, Ashish Kumar & Vasudevan, Ramaa & Pena, Anita Alves & Miller, Ray, 2021. "Does reliable electrification reduce gender differences? Evidence from India," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 185(C), pages 580-601.
    39. Othar Kordsachia & Alexander Bassen & Christian Fieberg & Katharina Wolters, 2023. "Market perceptions on the role of female leadership in adapting to climate change," Journal of Risk Finance, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 24(4), pages 424-448, May.
    40. Maji, Poushali & Mehrabi, Zia & Kandlikar, Milind, 2021. "Incomplete transitions to clean household energy reinforce gender inequality by lowering women’s respiratory health and household labour productivity," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 139(C).
    41. Abban, Olivier Joseph & Xing, Yao Hong & Nuţă, Alina Cristina & Nuţă, Florian Marcel & Borah, Prasad Siba & Ofori, Charles & Jing, Yao Jing, 2023. "Policies for carbon-zero targets: Examining the spillover effects of renewable energy and patent applications on environmental quality in Europe," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 126(C).
    42. Akhter Ali & Dil Bahadur Rahut & Khondoker Abdul Mottaleb & Jeetendra Prakash Aryal, 2019. "Alternate energy sources for lighting among rural households in the Himalayan region of Pakistan: Access and impact," Energy & Environment, , vol. 30(7), pages 1291-1312, November.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Domguia, Edmond Noubissi & Ngounou, Borice Augustin & Pondie, Thierry Messie & Bitoto, Fabrice Ewolo, 2024. "Environmental tax and energy poverty: An economic approach for an environmental and social solution," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 308(C).
    2. Acheampong, Alex O. & Opoku, Eric Evans Osei & Amankwaa, Afua & Dzator, Janet, 2024. "Energy poverty and gender equality in education: Unpacking the transmission channels," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 202(C).
    3. Shobande, Olatunji A., 2023. "Rethinking social change: Does the permanent and transitory effects of electricity and solid fuel use predict health outcome in Africa?," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 186(PB).
    4. Gozgor, Giray & Li, Jing & Saleem, Irfan & Shinwari, Riazullah, 2025. "The impact of women's political empowerment on renewable energy demand: Evidence from OECD countries," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 141(C).
    5. Bhukta, Rikhia & Pakrashi, Debayan & Saha, Sarani & Sedai, Ashish, 2024. "Community electrification and women’s autonomy," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 137(C).
    6. Xuefeng Li & Han Yang & Jin Jia, 2022. "Impact of energy poverty on cognitive and mental health among middle-aged and older adults in China," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 9(1), pages 1-13, December.
    7. Brice Kamguia & Ronald Djeunankan & Sosson Tadadjeu & Henri Njangang, 2024. "Does macroeconomic instability hamper access to electricity? Evidence from developing countries," Economics of Transition and Institutional Change, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 32(2), pages 387-414, April.
    8. Sen, Kanchan Kumar & Chapman, Andrew J. & Saha, Bidyut Baran, 2024. "Women's empowerment: A catalyst for addressing energy poverty and energy inequality in developing countries," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 313(C).
    9. Magbondé, Kadoukpè Gildas & Reilly, Barry & Kauma, Bridget, 2024. "The distributional effects of rural electrification on household welfare: Evidence from Senegal," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 91(C).
    10. Su, Qinghe & Azam, Mehtabul, 2022. "Does Access to Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) Reduce Women Household Burden? Evidence from India," IZA Discussion Papers 15842, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    11. Wan, Guanghua & Wang, Chen & Zhang, Xun & Zuo, Congming, 2024. "Income inequality effect of public utility infrastructure: Evidence from rural China," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 179(C).
    12. Yang, Yeonbin, 2025. "Does Household Electrification Empower Rural Boys and Girls Alike? Evidence from Brazil," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 186(C).
    13. Small, Sarah F. & van der Meulen Rodgers, Yana, 2023. "The gendered effects of investing in physical and social infrastructure," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 171(C).
    14. Opoku, Eric Evans Osei & Acheampong, Alex O., 2023. "Energy justice and economic growth: Does democracy matter?," Journal of Policy Modeling, Elsevier, vol. 45(1), pages 160-186.
    15. Tanu Gupta & Md. Tajuddin Khan & Digvijay Singh Negi, 2024. "Agriculture, Electrification and Gendered Time Use in Rural Bangladesh," Working Papers 137, Ashoka University, Department of Economics.
    16. Gawusu, Sidique, 2024. "Evolving energy landscapes: A computational analysis of the determinants of energy poverty," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 202(C).
    17. Makate, Marshall, 2024. "Turning the page on energy poverty? Quasi-experimental evidence on education and energy poverty in Zimbabwe," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 137(C).
    18. Somdeep Chatterjee & Shiv Hastawala & Jai Kamal, 2023. "(En‐)‘lightening’ children: Assessing the impacts of access to electricity on learning achievement levels," Review of Development Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 27(4), pages 2489-2517, November.
    19. Chroufa, Mohamed Ali & Chtourou, Nouri, 2024. "The impact of income inequality on economic growth in MENA region: The role of energy poverty threshold effect," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 313(C).
    20. Djeunankan, Ronald & Tadadjeu, Sosson & Kamguia, Brice, 2024. "Linking energy poverty and industrialization: Empirical evidence from African countries," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 292(C).

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:juipol:v:95:y:2025:i:c:s0957178725000505. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/utilities-policy .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.