• Energy Research

In recent years, sustainability concerns have gained increasing attention among countries and stakeholders worldwide. Towards the transition to sustainable rural development, the rural web framework (RWF) has become a consistent tool. Indicators from the RWF have been used to explore sustainable rural development for decision-making tasks, which improves the social, economic, and environmental performance of rural regions. However, the application of the RWF in studies is on the decline. Furthermore, there is a lack of literature reviews on the importance of the RWF and its relationship with different facets of sustainable development. We conducted a systematic literature review (SLR) (a) to explore how studies have used the RWF in the context of sustainable development and (b) to identify areas for further research. This study found that the RWF has mostly been used in developed countries, with fewer applications in developing countries. We suggest that there should be increased application of the RWF, particularly in developing countries, to broaden the rural web–sustainable development discourse and its relevance. This paper presents several areas where the indicators of the RWF can be applied to illustrate their relevance for policy decisions towards the achievement of the sustainable development goals (SDGs).

In recent years, sustainability concerns have gained increasing attention among countries and stakeholders worldwide. Towards the transition to sustainable rural development, the rural web framework (RWF) has become a consistent tool. Indicators from the RWF have been used to explore sustainable rural development for decision-making tasks, which improves the social, economic, and environmental performance of rural regions. However, the application of the RWF in studies is on the decline. Furthermore, there is a lack of literature reviews on the importance of the RWF and its relationship with different facets of sustainable development. We conducted a systematic literature review (SLR) (a) to explore how studies have used the RWF in the context of sustainable development and (b) to identify areas for further research. This study found that the RWF has mostly been used in developed countries, with fewer applications in developing countries. We suggest that there should be increased application of the RWF, particularly in developing countries, to broaden the rural web–sustainable development discourse and its relevance. This paper presents several areas where the indicators of the RWF can be applied to illustrate their relevance for policy decisions towards the achievement of the sustainable development goals (SDGs).

Abstract Access to energy is recognised to be at the heart of human development. However, there is a paucity of empirical research on the impact of access to energy on human development, particularly in energy-poor countries. This study, therefore, examines the effect of access to electricity and clean energy on human development in 79 energy-poor countries from South Asia, sub-Saharan Africa, and Caribbean-Latin America for the period 1990–2018. Using the Lewbel two-stage least squares approach to control for endogeneity, our study reveals that access to both electricity and clean energy improve human development in the aggregated sample. Comparatively, our results also suggest that while access to both electricity and clean energy enhance human development in Caribbean-Latin America and sub-Saharan Africa, they worsen human development in South Asia. Generally, our results indicate that economic growth, trade openness, foreign direct investment, urbanisation, access to credit and remittance enhance human development. This study also indicates that employment, industrialisation, economic growth, ICT, and gender empowerment are some of the important channels through which energy accessibility influence human development. The comparative effect of access to electricity, clean energy, and the control variables on different facets of human development such as education (human capital) and health (life expectancy, maternal mortality, and under-five mortality) are presented. In this study, we conclude that access to energy is crucial for human development but does not equally benefit all the components of human development.

Abstract Access to energy is recognised to be at the heart of human development. However, there is a paucity of empirical research on the impact of access to energy on human development, particularly in energy-poor countries. This study, therefore, examines the effect of access to electricity and clean energy on human development in 79 energy-poor countries from South Asia, sub-Saharan Africa, and Caribbean-Latin America for the period 1990–2018. Using the Lewbel two-stage least squares approach to control for endogeneity, our study reveals that access to both electricity and clean energy improve human development in the aggregated sample. Comparatively, our results also suggest that while access to both electricity and clean energy enhance human development in Caribbean-Latin America and sub-Saharan Africa, they worsen human development in South Asia. Generally, our results indicate that economic growth, trade openness, foreign direct investment, urbanisation, access to credit and remittance enhance human development. This study also indicates that employment, industrialisation, economic growth, ICT, and gender empowerment are some of the important channels through which energy accessibility influence human development. The comparative effect of access to electricity, clean energy, and the control variables on different facets of human development such as education (human capital) and health (life expectancy, maternal mortality, and under-five mortality) are presented. In this study, we conclude that access to energy is crucial for human development but does not equally benefit all the components of human development.

Resilience measurement is an emerging topic in the field of disaster risk reduction. However, its application in Global South cities has proven to be a challenge due to the uniqueness of southern urbanisms and data challenges. As a result, the Resilience Benchmarking Assessment and Impact Toolkit (RABIT) framework has recently been developed to support resilience assessment in informal, marginalized, and disaster-prone contexts of southern cities. This paper asserts the relevance of the RABIT framework and uses it to assess the resilience of Manggahan residences, a resettled marginalized community in Pasig City, Metro Manila. Drawing on a quantitative approach and using exploratory factor analysis (EFA), the study revealed that scale, robustness, and learning attributes of the RABIT framework are strong contributors to the community’s resilience. Self-organization, diversity, and redundancy have similar levels of contribution. Equality and rapidity were found to have the weakest relative contribution. The study findings emphasize the need to view resilience in resettled communities holistically and adopt an integrated and comprehensive approach that considers the multiple aspects of everyday life to proactively build adaptive and future resilient capacities.

Resilience measurement is an emerging topic in the field of disaster risk reduction. However, its application in Global South cities has proven to be a challenge due to the uniqueness of southern urbanisms and data challenges. As a result, the Resilience Benchmarking Assessment and Impact Toolkit (RABIT) framework has recently been developed to support resilience assessment in informal, marginalized, and disaster-prone contexts of southern cities. This paper asserts the relevance of the RABIT framework and uses it to assess the resilience of Manggahan residences, a resettled marginalized community in Pasig City, Metro Manila. Drawing on a quantitative approach and using exploratory factor analysis (EFA), the study revealed that scale, robustness, and learning attributes of the RABIT framework are strong contributors to the community’s resilience. Self-organization, diversity, and redundancy have similar levels of contribution. Equality and rapidity were found to have the weakest relative contribution. The study findings emphasize the need to view resilience in resettled communities holistically and adopt an integrated and comprehensive approach that considers the multiple aspects of everyday life to proactively build adaptive and future resilient capacities.

Cette étude examine l'effet des connaissances, de l'anxiété et de l'expérience en matière de changement climatique sur l'adaptation au climat à l'aide de données d'enquête provenant de 874 agriculteurs de la région ouest-nord du Ghana. Pour présenter des estimations non biaisées, la technique de régression des variables instrumentales a été appliquée au contrôle de l'endogénéité. Les résultats ont indiqué que l'anxiété et les connaissances liées au changement climatique augmentent considérablement l'adaptation au changement climatique chez les agriculteurs. En outre, l'expérience du changement climatique a une relation inverse significative avec l'adaptation au changement climatique. En outre, l'adaptation au changement climatique est nettement plus élevée chez les agriculteurs produisant des cultures et du bétail (agriculture mixte), les agriculteurs de partenariat et de coopération/organisation et les agriculteurs dont le revenu mensuel net se situe entre 501 et 2500 cedis (83,5-416,7 USD). Nos résultats attirent l'attention des décideurs politiques sur l'investissement dans des stratégies agricoles, économiques et socio-psychologiques intelligentes face au climat afin de renforcer les capacités d'adaptation. Este estudio examina el efecto del conocimiento, la ansiedad y la experiencia del cambio climático en la adaptación al clima utilizando datos de encuestas de 874 agricultores en la región norte occidental de Ghana. Para presentar estimaciones imparciales, se aplicó la técnica de regresión de variables instrumentales para controlar la endogeneidad. Los resultados indicaron que la ansiedad y el conocimiento sobre el cambio climático aumentan significativamente la adaptación al cambio climático entre los agricultores. Además, la experiencia del cambio climático tiene una relación inversa significativa con la adaptación al cambio climático. Además, la adaptación al cambio climático es significativamente mayor entre los agricultores que producen cultivos y ganado (agricultura mixta), los agricultores de asociaciones y cooperación/organización, y los agricultores con un rango de ingresos mensuales netos entre 501 y 2500 cedis (USD 83.5–416.7). Nuestros hallazgos dirigen la atención de los formuladores de políticas a invertir en estrategias agrícolas, económicas y sociopsicológicas climáticamente inteligentes para fortalecer las capacidades de adaptación. This study examines the effect of climate change knowledge, anxiety, and experience on climate adaptation using survey data from 874 farmers in the Western North Region of Ghana. To present unbiased estimates, the instrumental variable regression technique was applied to control for endogeneity. Results indicated that climate change anxiety and knowledge significantly increase climate change adaptation among farmers. Also, climate change experience has a significant inverse relationship with climate change adaptation. Furthermore, climate change adaptation is significantly higher among farmers producing crops and livestock (mixed farming), partnership and cooperation/organization farmers, and farmers with a net monthly income range between 501 and 2500 cedis (USD 83.5–416.7). Our findings direct policymakers' attention to investing in climate-smart agriculture, economic and socio-psychological strategies to strengthen adaptive capacities. تبحث هذه الدراسة في تأثير معرفة تغير المناخ وقلقه وخبرته على التكيف مع المناخ باستخدام بيانات مسح من 874 مزارعًا في المنطقة الشمالية الغربية من غانا. لتقديم تقديرات غير متحيزة، تم تطبيق تقنية الانحدار المتغير الفعال للتحكم في التجانس الداخلي. أشارت النتائج إلى أن القلق والمعرفة بشأن تغير المناخ يزيدان بشكل كبير من التكيف مع تغير المناخ بين المزارعين. كما أن تجربة تغير المناخ لها علاقة عكسية كبيرة بالتكيف مع تغير المناخ. علاوة على ذلك، فإن التكيف مع تغير المناخ أعلى بكثير بين المزارعين الذين ينتجون المحاصيل والثروة الحيوانية (الزراعة المختلطة)، والشراكة والتعاون/تنظيم المزارعين، والمزارعين الذين يتراوح دخلهم الشهري الصافي بين 501 و 2500 سيدي (83.5-416.7 دولار أمريكي). توجه النتائج التي توصلنا إليها انتباه صانعي السياسات إلى الاستثمار في الزراعة الذكية مناخياً والاستراتيجيات الاقتصادية والاجتماعية والنفسية لتعزيز القدرات التكيفية.

Cette étude examine l'effet des connaissances, de l'anxiété et de l'expérience en matière de changement climatique sur l'adaptation au climat à l'aide de données d'enquête provenant de 874 agriculteurs de la région ouest-nord du Ghana. Pour présenter des estimations non biaisées, la technique de régression des variables instrumentales a été appliquée au contrôle de l'endogénéité. Les résultats ont indiqué que l'anxiété et les connaissances liées au changement climatique augmentent considérablement l'adaptation au changement climatique chez les agriculteurs. En outre, l'expérience du changement climatique a une relation inverse significative avec l'adaptation au changement climatique. En outre, l'adaptation au changement climatique est nettement plus élevée chez les agriculteurs produisant des cultures et du bétail (agriculture mixte), les agriculteurs de partenariat et de coopération/organisation et les agriculteurs dont le revenu mensuel net se situe entre 501 et 2500 cedis (83,5-416,7 USD). Nos résultats attirent l'attention des décideurs politiques sur l'investissement dans des stratégies agricoles, économiques et socio-psychologiques intelligentes face au climat afin de renforcer les capacités d'adaptation. Este estudio examina el efecto del conocimiento, la ansiedad y la experiencia del cambio climático en la adaptación al clima utilizando datos de encuestas de 874 agricultores en la región norte occidental de Ghana. Para presentar estimaciones imparciales, se aplicó la técnica de regresión de variables instrumentales para controlar la endogeneidad. Los resultados indicaron que la ansiedad y el conocimiento sobre el cambio climático aumentan significativamente la adaptación al cambio climático entre los agricultores. Además, la experiencia del cambio climático tiene una relación inversa significativa con la adaptación al cambio climático. Además, la adaptación al cambio climático es significativamente mayor entre los agricultores que producen cultivos y ganado (agricultura mixta), los agricultores de asociaciones y cooperación/organización, y los agricultores con un rango de ingresos mensuales netos entre 501 y 2500 cedis (USD 83.5–416.7). Nuestros hallazgos dirigen la atención de los formuladores de políticas a invertir en estrategias agrícolas, económicas y sociopsicológicas climáticamente inteligentes para fortalecer las capacidades de adaptación. This study examines the effect of climate change knowledge, anxiety, and experience on climate adaptation using survey data from 874 farmers in the Western North Region of Ghana. To present unbiased estimates, the instrumental variable regression technique was applied to control for endogeneity. Results indicated that climate change anxiety and knowledge significantly increase climate change adaptation among farmers. Also, climate change experience has a significant inverse relationship with climate change adaptation. Furthermore, climate change adaptation is significantly higher among farmers producing crops and livestock (mixed farming), partnership and cooperation/organization farmers, and farmers with a net monthly income range between 501 and 2500 cedis (USD 83.5–416.7). Our findings direct policymakers' attention to investing in climate-smart agriculture, economic and socio-psychological strategies to strengthen adaptive capacities. تبحث هذه الدراسة في تأثير معرفة تغير المناخ وقلقه وخبرته على التكيف مع المناخ باستخدام بيانات مسح من 874 مزارعًا في المنطقة الشمالية الغربية من غانا. لتقديم تقديرات غير متحيزة، تم تطبيق تقنية الانحدار المتغير الفعال للتحكم في التجانس الداخلي. أشارت النتائج إلى أن القلق والمعرفة بشأن تغير المناخ يزيدان بشكل كبير من التكيف مع تغير المناخ بين المزارعين. كما أن تجربة تغير المناخ لها علاقة عكسية كبيرة بالتكيف مع تغير المناخ. علاوة على ذلك، فإن التكيف مع تغير المناخ أعلى بكثير بين المزارعين الذين ينتجون المحاصيل والثروة الحيوانية (الزراعة المختلطة)، والشراكة والتعاون/تنظيم المزارعين، والمزارعين الذين يتراوح دخلهم الشهري الصافي بين 501 و 2500 سيدي (83.5-416.7 دولار أمريكي). توجه النتائج التي توصلنا إليها انتباه صانعي السياسات إلى الاستثمار في الزراعة الذكية مناخياً والاستراتيجيات الاقتصادية والاجتماعية والنفسية لتعزيز القدرات التكيفية.