The conflict between natural resource use and welfare supply — Natural resources is a bless or a curse?

Abstract

The use of natural resources has brought economic prosperity and material wealth but also brought environmental pollution and conflict chaos. Similarly, the use of natural resources has a dual impact on the welfare supply of residents, and it is not only gifts but also curses. As an essential part of natural resources, the collection and consumption of natural energy are directly related to the welfare supply of residents. Therefore, this paper constructs a multi-dimensional energy poverty index based on energy availability, cleanliness, and infrastructure to characterize the use of natural energy. The index shows that China's energy poverty index declined gradually from 2008 to 2018, and natural resource use efficiency has risen. The average value of the Dagum Gini coefficient is 0.1609, which indicates that energy development among regions in China is relatively fair. The panel regression model shows that energy poverty has a positive effect on the happiness of residents, which can also be interpreted as a negative effect of natural resource use on welfare supply In terms of mediating effects, air pollution has a masking impact on the path of energy poverty affecting residents' happiness, with the more severe energy poverty being associated with less air pollution, thus enhancing residents' happiness. This study will help China formulate future natural energy development policies to use energy more efficiently, reduce environmental pollution and improve residents' well-being.