Sustainable energy development analysis: Energy Trilemma

Abstract

Sustainable development is perceived as a socioeconomic system focused on meeting human needs while making long-term progress, with the end goal of ensuring well-being and improving quality of life. The objective of this article is to analyse the sustainable development policies assessed by the World Energy Trilemma Index (WETI) for 2020, based on its three pillars (Energy security, Energy equity and Environmental sustainability) and the political and economic context of 128 countries. To that end, cluster analysis and contingency tables are used. The first of these methods allows us to determine whether nations' economic profile influences their sustainable energy development, while the latter method is used to establish the possible connection between the political and economic context and the different aspects of sustainable development. The results of the cluster analysis reveal the existence of three homogeneous groups of countries, showing that the economies with the lowest GDP growth and the highest incomes hold the top positions in the WETI ranking. However, this association is not as clear when analysing the three energy trilemma pillars separately, pointing to the need for a more in-depth examination of each one. The contingency tables confirm the association between the Country context and sustainable energy development, showing that countries that are assigned a better grade for political and economic aspects adopt more appropriate energy measures. The research reveals the need for leaders’ active engagement in the implementation of international agreements on climate change, thus facilitating the path towards sustainable development.