Energy–poverty–inequality SDGs: A large-scale household analysis and forecasting in China

Cong Li; Minglai Li; Lin Zhang; Qiang Li; Hua Zheng; Marcus W. Feldman

doi:10.1073/pnas.2408167121

Energy–poverty–inequality SDGs: A large-scale household analysis and forecasting in China

Cong Li (Co-first Author)
, Minglai Li (Co-first Author)
, Lin Zhang^*
, Qiang Li
, Hua Zheng
, Marcus W. Feldman^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Journal Publications and Reviews › RGC 21 - Publication in refereed journal › peer-review

32 Citations (Scopus)

8 Downloads (CityUHK Scholars)

Abstract

Affordable and clean energy, eliminating poverty, and reducing inequality are important goals of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This paper examines the role of access to clean cooking fuels in promoting income growth and reducing income inequality. Using data from Chinese households, we show that a 10% increase in the adoption of clean cooking fuels would result in an increase in total annual household income of US$37 billion nationwide. Income growth from access to clean cooking fuels is greater for lower-income groups due to a shift to higher household income and reduced downward household income mobility, which contributes to a reduction in income inequality. The effect of access to clean cooking fuels on household income growth is primarily driven by improved health and increased labor supply. The use of clean cooking fuels also saves fuel collection time and cooking time, reducing time spent on household chores by about 0.4 h per day, thereby increasing labor supply in the job market and improving wage income. Improvements in income due to clean cooking fuels are influenced by external conditions, urbanization, education, employment opportunities, and good market conditions. With further promotion of clean cooking fuels, household income and inequality in China are expected to improve further by 2030 and contribute more widely to human well-being and achievement of the SDGs.

Original language	English
Article number	e2408167121
Number of pages	10
Journal	Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
Volume	122
Issue number	1
Online published	30 Dec 2024
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2408167121
Publication status	Published - 7 Jan 2025

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
Copyright © 2024 the Author(s).

Funding

We acknowledge funding support from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (723B2019 and 72022014), General Project of Ministry of Education Foundation on Humanities and Social Sciences (24XJA630001), 2022 Youth Innovation Team of Shaanxi Universities, Research Grants Council of Hong Kong (G-CityU102/23, N_CityU146/23), the Major Project of the National Social Science Fund of China (24&ZD153), and the Morrison Institute for Population and Resource Studies at Stanford University.

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 1 No Poverty
SDG 4 Quality Education
SDG 7 Affordable and Clean Energy
SDG 10 Reduced Inequalities

Research Keywords

energy transition
income
income inequality
SDGs
sustainability

Publisher's Copyright Statement

COPYRIGHT TERMS OF DEPOSITED FINAL PUBLISHED VERSION FILE: This full text is made available under CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/

RGC Funding Information

RGC-funded

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10.1073/pnas.2408167121

265895518.pdfFinal Published version, 585 KBLicence: CC BY-NC-ND

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Cite this

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title = "Energy–poverty–inequality SDGs: A large-scale household analysis and forecasting in China",

abstract = "Affordable and clean energy, eliminating poverty, and reducing inequality are important goals of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This paper examines the role of access to clean cooking fuels in promoting income growth and reducing income inequality. Using data from Chinese households, we show that a 10\% increase in the adoption of clean cooking fuels would result in an increase in total annual household income of US\$37 billion nationwide. Income growth from access to clean cooking fuels is greater for lower-income groups due to a shift to higher household income and reduced downward household income mobility, which contributes to a reduction in income inequality. The effect of access to clean cooking fuels on household income growth is primarily driven by improved health and increased labor supply. The use of clean cooking fuels also saves fuel collection time and cooking time, reducing time spent on household chores by about 0.4 h per day, thereby increasing labor supply in the job market and improving wage income. Improvements in income due to clean cooking fuels are influenced by external conditions, urbanization, education, employment opportunities, and good market conditions. With further promotion of clean cooking fuels, household income and inequality in China are expected to improve further by 2030 and contribute more widely to human well-being and achievement of the SDGs. {\textcopyright} 2024 the Author(s)",

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Energy–poverty–inequality SDGs: A large-scale household analysis and forecasting in China. / Li, Cong (Co-first Author); Li, Minglai (Co-first Author); Zhang, Lin et al.
In: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, Vol. 122, No. 1, e2408167121, 07.01.2025.

Research output: Journal Publications and Reviews › RGC 21 - Publication in refereed journal › peer-review

TY - JOUR

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T2 - A large-scale household analysis and forecasting in China

AU - Li, Cong

AU - Li, Minglai

AU - Zhang, Lin

AU - Li, Qiang

AU - Zheng, Hua

AU - Feldman, Marcus W.

PY - 2025/1/7

Y1 - 2025/1/7

N2 - Affordable and clean energy, eliminating poverty, and reducing inequality are important goals of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This paper examines the role of access to clean cooking fuels in promoting income growth and reducing income inequality. Using data from Chinese households, we show that a 10% increase in the adoption of clean cooking fuels would result in an increase in total annual household income of US$37 billion nationwide. Income growth from access to clean cooking fuels is greater for lower-income groups due to a shift to higher household income and reduced downward household income mobility, which contributes to a reduction in income inequality. The effect of access to clean cooking fuels on household income growth is primarily driven by improved health and increased labor supply. The use of clean cooking fuels also saves fuel collection time and cooking time, reducing time spent on household chores by about 0.4 h per day, thereby increasing labor supply in the job market and improving wage income. Improvements in income due to clean cooking fuels are influenced by external conditions, urbanization, education, employment opportunities, and good market conditions. With further promotion of clean cooking fuels, household income and inequality in China are expected to improve further by 2030 and contribute more widely to human well-being and achievement of the SDGs. © 2024 the Author(s)

AB - Affordable and clean energy, eliminating poverty, and reducing inequality are important goals of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This paper examines the role of access to clean cooking fuels in promoting income growth and reducing income inequality. Using data from Chinese households, we show that a 10% increase in the adoption of clean cooking fuels would result in an increase in total annual household income of US$37 billion nationwide. Income growth from access to clean cooking fuels is greater for lower-income groups due to a shift to higher household income and reduced downward household income mobility, which contributes to a reduction in income inequality. The effect of access to clean cooking fuels on household income growth is primarily driven by improved health and increased labor supply. The use of clean cooking fuels also saves fuel collection time and cooking time, reducing time spent on household chores by about 0.4 h per day, thereby increasing labor supply in the job market and improving wage income. Improvements in income due to clean cooking fuels are influenced by external conditions, urbanization, education, employment opportunities, and good market conditions. With further promotion of clean cooking fuels, household income and inequality in China are expected to improve further by 2030 and contribute more widely to human well-being and achievement of the SDGs. © 2024 the Author(s)

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ER -

Energy–poverty–inequality SDGs: A large-scale household analysis and forecasting in China

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Funding

UN SDGs

Research Keywords

Publisher's Copyright Statement

RGC Funding Information

Access Output

Other Access Options

Permanent Link

Other Files and Links

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Ger/HKJRS: Quantifying the Role of CBAM on Carbon Reduction and Its Implication for Corporate Emission Reporting

NSFC: Asset-stranding Risks of Energy Firms under the Carbon Neutrality Goals and Spillover Effects on the Capital Market in mainland China and Hong Kong

Cite this

Energy–poverty–inequality SDGs: A large-scale household analysis and forecasting in China

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Funding

UN SDGs

Research Keywords

Publisher's Copyright Statement

RGC Funding Information

Access Output

Other Access Options

Permanent Link

Other Files and Links

Fingerprint

Projects

Ger/HKJRS: Quantifying the Role of CBAM on Carbon Reduction and Its Implication for Corporate Emission Reporting

NSFC: Asset-stranding Risks of Energy Firms under the Carbon Neutrality Goals and Spillover Effects on the Capital Market in mainland China and Hong Kong

Cite this