How can energy poverty affect farmers’ health? Evidence from mountainous areas in China

Abstract

The two important goals of sustainable development, affordable and clean energy, and good health and well-being have attracted global attention. This study explores the nexus and impact pathways between energy poverty and farmers' health, defining energy poverty from a multidimensional perspective that includes cooking, washing, warming, cooling, showering, traveling, entertainment, education, and communication. A mixed approach is deployed by using 1016 survey data collected from the rural mountainous areas of China, where the probit model, ordinary least squares, and conditional mixed process estimation methods are used for model estimation. Results indicate that farmers' physical and mental health is significantly negatively affected by multidimensional energy poverty. Regards to the different dimensions of energy poverty, cooking energy and traveling energy have considerable negative impacts on farmers' health. In terms of population heterogeneity, multidimensional energy poverty has a worse effect on farmers' health in the empty-nest stage and on males. To alleviate multidimensional energy poverty and improve health, this study proposes targeted policy recommendations for domestic policymakers and can shed light on other developing economies facing similar challenges.