Examining the effects of education level inequality on energy consumption: Evidence from Guangdong Province

Abstract

The dramatic economic growth and urbanization witnessed in China have been accompanied by a range of social and environmental problems. To comprehensively understand the influence of social inequality on climate change, the study analyzed the mechanism and pathways of the effects of education level on energy consumption, selecting typical indicators to reflect (i) the education quality within the population and (ii) the level of education development in order to evaluate the impact of education inequality and disparity. Under the framework of a STIRPAT model hypothesis, we investigated how the education level in Guangdong Province influenced energy consumption, using panel data from 2002 to 2017 and making a distinction between the Pearl River Delta region and the “non-Pearl River Delta” region. The empirical results show a significant disparity between the education level and energy consumption of the two regions. The education level has exerted significant effects in relation to energy consumption in the whole of Guangdong province. In cities with lower education levels, this impact was more obvious. However, in places with higher levels of education, this impact was overshadowed by other more significant factors, such as income level. The quality of the education within the population was found to increase energy consumption in the non-Pearl River Delta region, while this did not significantly impact on energy consumption within the Pearl River Delta. Our results hold implications for policy makers that they should adopt education methods and interventions to promote low-carbon knowledge and awareness that reflect the different stages of education development of regions. In this way, residents can be encouraged to develop low-carbon lifestyles, thereby reducing energy consumption and mitigating CO2 emissions.