Roadmap for achieving energy sustainability in Sub-Saharan Africa: The mediating role of energy use efficiency

Abstract

The core objective of this study is to evaluate whether improving energy use efficiency can help Sub-Saharan African nations to attain their energy sustainability objectives. As opposed to the conventional approaches, the multidimensional aspects of energy sustainability are captured in this study by predicting an energy sustainability index using data related to four key targets mentioned under the seventh sustainable development goal declared by the United Nations. Overall, for the entire panel, the findings reveal that a 1% rise in the energy efficiency level increases the energy sustainability index by around 11% in the long run. Thus, energy efficiency improvements can be expected to complement the energy sustainability agenda of the Sub-Saharan African nations. In contrast, economic growth is witnessed to impede energy sustainability within these nations. However, the results also certify that energy efficiency improvement performs a mediating role in neutralizing the energy sustainability-inhibiting effects of economic growth. In addition, higher emissions of carbon dioxide found to encourage the Sub-Saharan African nations to implement policies related to attainment of energy sustainability. Besides, trade and financial globalization are also witnessed to impede and stimulate energy sustainability, respectively. Furthermore, the results reveal that financial development facilitates energy sustainability attainment while higher population growth inflicts opposite impacts. Finally, implementation of the Kyoto Protocol is evidenced to be contributing to the attainment of energy sustainability in the selected Sub-Saharan African nations. In light of these findings, several energy sustainability-related policies are recommended.