Human Development Index Levels Research Articles

Development Indexes, Environmental Cost Impact, and Well-Being: Trends and Comparisons in Italy

In 1990, the United Nations (UN) presented the Human Development Index (HDI) as a measure of human development that considers three fundamental dimensions: a long and healthy life, being knowledgeable, and having a decent standard of living. This paper proposes some considerations about human well-being factors based on HDI analysis, also introducing some considerations on environmental pollution. As regards environmental issues, two different pollutants are considered together with their environmental costs: (i) greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, which have an impact on a global scale, and (ii) emissions from fine particulate matter, primarily having an impact on a local scale. Thus, a new index based on the external environmental costs is proposed, and two scenarios are discussed. On the other hand, as it concerns human well-being, the results of surveys among the population are used. Furthermore, other features regarding health services and demographic aspects are taken into account, too. Italy is analysed as a case study over the last three decades. Easterlin’s considerations are verified based on the variation of perceived well-being related to the changes in GDP. The Italian case study shows that despite having achieved a satisfactory HDI level, there is a wide margin for improvement from both the environmental and the well-being standpoints.

The Effectiveness of Climate Adaptation Finance and Readiness on Vulnerability in African Economies

Addressing climate vulnerability remains a priority for economies globally. This study used the panel-corrected standard error (PCSE) methodology to investigate the impact of adaptation financing on climate vulnerability. This analysis examined 52 African countries from 2012 to 2021 while considering their climate adaptation readiness. The impact was also assessed based on the Human Development Index (HDI) categories to reflect different levels of development. The findings showed that adaptation finance considerably influenced climate vulnerability reduction in Africa, particularly in nations with a moderate HDI. However, most countries still need higher levels of adaptation financing, resulting in a small impact on vulnerability reduction. Furthermore, the impact of readiness measures differed by HDI category. Economic and social climate readiness strongly impacted climate vulnerability in high-HDI nations, but governance preparedness was more critical in low-HDI countries. Based on the empirical facts, two policy proposals emerge. First, it is critical to reconsider the distribution of adaptation financing to reduce disparities and effectively alleviate climate vulnerability. Moreover, African economies should consider implementing innovative localized financing mechanisms to mobilize extra adaptation finance. Second, African governments should customize climate readiness interventions based on their HDI levels to improve the achievement of a positive impact on climate vulnerability.

Training strategies of 10,074 athletes from 121 countries based on human development index in early COVID-19 lockdown

The aim of this study was to investigate relationships between changes in training practices and human development index (HDI) levels, and identify strategies employed by athletes who consistently maintained their training quantity during the first 100 days of the COVID-19 pandemic. A total of 10,074 athletes (5290 amateur and 4787 professional athletes from 121 countries) completed an online survey between 17 May to 5 July 2020. We explored their training practices, including specific questions on training frequency, duration and quantity before and during lockdown (March–June 2020), stratified according to the human development index (HDI): low-medium, high, or very high HDI. During the COVID-19 lockdown, athletes in low-medium HDI countries focused on innovative training. Nevertheless, women and amateur athletes experienced a substantial reduction in training activity. Performance-driven athletes and athletes from higher HDI indexed countries, were likely to have more opportunities to diversify training activities during lockdowns, facilitated by the flexibility to perform training away from home. Factors such as lockdown rules, socioeconomic environment, and training education limited training diversification and approaches, particularly in low-medium and high HDI countries. Athletes (amateurs and professionals) who maintained the quantity of training during lockdown appeared to prioritize basic cardiovascular and strength training, irrespective of HDI level. Modifying training and fitness programs may help mitigate the decrease in training activities during lockdowns. Customized training prescriptions based on gender, performance, and HDI level will assist individuals to effectively perform and maintain training activities during lockdowns, or other challenging (lockdown-like) situations.

The THE ROLE OF ISLAMIC FINANCIAL INCLUSION ON POVERTY, INCOME INEQUALITY, AND HUMAN DEVELOPMENT IN INDONESIA

This study empirically analyses the role of Islamic financial inclusion in overcoming poverty, income inequality, and human development problems by employing yearly panel data of 33 provinces in Indonesia from 2014 to 2022. The results show that, except Aceh and DKI Jakarta, all provinces in Indonesia have low Islamic Financial Inclusion Index (IFII). Our analysis reveals that Islamic financial inclusion exerts significant roles in poverty reduction and human development improvement, while it is insignificantly related to income inequality. During the Covid-19 pandemic, the effect on human development of financial inclusion is further strengthened. We further note that the effects of Islamic financial inclusion depends on the levels of Human Development Index (HDI), where poverty reduction and human development improvement are apparent only in provinces with high and very high HDI.

Measurement of the burdens of neonatal disorders in 204 countries, 1990-2019: a global burden of disease-based study.

Neonatal disorders are facing serious public health challenges. Previous studies were based on limited data sources and had a narrow geographical scope. We aim to understand the trends of alteration in the burden of neonatal disorders from 1990 to 2019 in 204 countries and territories. Data were investigated from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019. First, we visualized the burden of neonatal disorders using the number of cases and the age-standardized incidence rate (ASIR), death rate (ASDR), and disability-adjusted life years (ASR-DALYs) from 1990 to 2019. Second, estimated annual percentage changes (EAPCs) were used to evaluate the temporal trends of disease burden during different periods. Finally, the sociodemographic index (SDI) and human development index (HDI) were used to determine whether there exists a correlation between socioeconomic development level, human development level, and potential burden consequences. Overall, in the past 30 years, the ASIR trends have remained relatively steady, whereas the ASDR and ASR-DALYs have declined. However, the burden of neonatal disorders varied greatly in various regions and countries. Among 21 regions, the ASIR trend had the largest increase in Central Latin America (EAPC = 0.42, 95%CI = 0.33-0.50). Conversely, the ASDR and ASR-DALYs experienced the largest decrease in Central Europe (EAPC = -5.10, 95%CI = -5.28 to 4.93) and East Asia (EAPC = -4.07, 95%CI = -4.41 to 3.73), respectively. Among 204 countries, the ASIR (EAPC = 3.35, 95%CI = 3.13-3.56) trend in Greece displayed the most significant increase, while the ASDR (EAPC = 1.26, 95%CI = 1.01-1.50) and ASR-DALYs (EAPC = 1.26, 95%CI = 1.03-1.49) trends in Dominica experienced the most substantial increase. Furthermore, there was a strong correlation between the EAPCs in ASIR, ASDR, ASR-DALYs, and SDI or HDI in 2019, with some exceptions. In addition, countries with elevated levels of HDI experienced a faster increase in ASDR and ASR-DALYs for neonatal disorders. Although the burden of neonatal disorders shows a downward trend from 1990 to 2019, it is still not optimistic. It is necessary to implement a multi-pronged approach to reduce the increasing burden of neonatal disorders.

Global, regional, and national lifetime risks of developing and dying from gastrointestinal cancers in 185 countries: a population-based systematic analysis of GLOBOCAN

Gastrointestinal cancers account for a quarter of the global cancer incidence and a third of cancer-related deaths. We sought to estimate the lifetime risks of developing and dying from gastrointestinal cancers at the country, world region, and global levels in 2020. For this population-based systematic analysis, we obtained estimates of gastrointestinal cancer incidence and mortality rates from GLOBOCAN for 185 countries, alongside all-cause mortality and population data from the UN. Countries were categorised into quartiles of the Human Development Index (HDI). The lifetime risk of gastrointestinal cancers was estimated with a standard method that adjusts for multiple primaries, taking into account competing risks of death from causes other than cancer and life expectancy. The global lifetime risks of developing and dying from gastrointestinal cancers from birth to death was 8·20% (95% CI 8·18-8·21) and 6·17% (6·16-6·18) in 2020. For men, the risk of developing gastrointestinal cancers was 9·53% (95% CI 9·51-9·55) and of dying from them 7·23% (7·22-7·25); for women, the risk of developing gastrointestinal cancers was 6·84% (6·82-6·85) and of dying from them 5·09% (5·08-5·10). Colorectal cancer presented the highest risk, accounting for 38·5% of the total lifetime risk of developing, and 28·2% of dying from, gastrointestinal cancers, followed by cancers of the stomach, liver, oesophagus, pancreas, and gallbladder. Eastern Asia has the highest lifetime risks for cancers of the stomach, liver, oesophagus, and gallbladder, Australia and New Zealand for colorectal cancer, and Western Europe for pancreatic cancer. The lifetime risk of gastrointestinal cancers increased consistently with increasing level of HDI; however, high HDI countries (the third HDI quartile) had the highest death risk. The global lifetime risk of gastrointestinal cancers translates to one in 12 people developing, and one in 16 people dying from, gastrointestinal cancers. The identified high risk and observed disparities across countries warrants context-specific targeted gastrointestinal cancer control and health systems planning. Beijing Nova Program, CAMS Innovation Fund for Medical Sciences, and Talent Incentive Program of Cancer Hospital, CAMS (Hope Star).

Индекс человеческого развития Китая и экономический рост: ретроспективный анализ и глобальная перспектива

Currently, it becomes important to examine the role of human capital in the context of China’s economic development and its impact on the world economy. The paper reconstructs a realistic Human Development Index (HDI) and corresponding dimensional indices of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and its provinces for 1990–2020. The obtained indices were compared with those of the major countries of the world or countries similar to Chinese provinces, revealing that China underestimates its HDI, according to the United Nations Development Programme data. To analyse the role of human capital in economic growth of the world, China, and a group of countries similar in population size and HDI to Chinese provinces, a constructed model combined human capital with education quality and physical capital. The findings show that the PRC overcame negative conditions affecting its ability to grow rapidly. It took China just 30 years to reach the same level of HDI that other countries achieved in 40 years. Additionally, inequalities in HDI of Chinese provinces were significantly reduced. By 2025, 90 % of the PRC’s population is expected to reach a very high level of human development, thus completing the transformation from a developing to a so-called developed country. Educational human capital explains almost three-quarters of economic growth variation in the long run, while the average duration of education will continue to influence economic growth in the next 10–30 years. Considering demographic, institutional, and technological effects, as well as the objectives of the 14th Five-Year Plan, an increase in the duration and quality of education in China is predicted. The paper demonstrates that PRC’s recent economic growth is due to an increase in both physical and human capital.

Trends in gastric cancer incidence and mortality in Asia and association analysis with human development index, 1990-2019

ObjectivesTo describe the epidemiological time trends and gender, age and regional differences of gastric cancer in Asia during 1990–2019, and to analyze the association between the human development index (HDI) and the statistical indicators of the burden of disease. MethodsDescribing trends in age-standardized incidence rates (ASIR) and age-standardized mortality rate (ASMR) in Asia from 1990 to 2019 based on GBD-reported population-based surveillance of gastric cancer in Asia. Obtained ASIR, ASMR, and mortality to incidence ratios (MIR) for gastric cancer in different countries in 2019, with association analysis by Kruskal-Wallis nonparametric test. ResultsThe annual percentage change in ASIR and ASMR in Asia from 1990 to 2019 was − 1.20% and − 1.91%. Male gastric cancer patients have higher ASIR and ASMR than female gastric cancer patients. Decreasing trends in ASIR and ASMR for the total population in five Asian regions. From 1990 to 2019, the average annual change in ASMR was − 2.45%, − 1.43%, − 0.53%, − 0.62%, and − 0.27% for Central Asia, East Asia, high-income Asia-Pacific, South Asia, and Southeast Asia, respectively (p < 0.05). Both incidence and mortality were concentrated in the age groups of 85–89 and 89–94 years. Classifying Asian countries into different levels of HDI, only MIR was associated with HDI levels. ConclusionASIR and ASMR of gastric cancer in the total population, different regions, and countries in Asia from 1990 to 2019 showed an overall decreasing trend. The MIR index is suggestive of survival rates and the role of cancer care in individual countries. Asian countries should develop different strategies for gastric cancer screening and prevention according to high-risk age, high-risk gender and HDI.

Classifying regencies and cities on human development index dimensions: Application of K-Means cluster analysis

The Human Development Index (HDI) is a measurement that analyzes a region's development in improving human development. The government's development plan aims to create a successful and peaceful life. The unbalanced development in every regency and city in Indonesia is a typical issue during the development process. It may also be shown that the HDI level changes across regencies and cities in Indonesia. This research aims to identify Indonesian regencies and cities based on HDI indices. K-Means clustering algorithm is the clustering method adopted. The results of the analysis formed 4 clusters. The first cluster consisted of 20 regencies with a low average HDI indicator. The second cluster consisted of 148 regencies and cities with an average HDI indicator is medium. The third cluster consisted of 88 regencies and cities with an average HDI indicator. The fourth cluster consists of 258 regencies and cities with high HDI indicators.

Pemodelan Regresi Data Panel Pada Indeks Pembangunan Manusia di Pulau Sumatera

The island of Sumatra has 10 provinces with a Human Development Index level that is not much different from the national Human Development Index, several provinces on the island of Sumatra have a Human Development Index below the national Human Development Index. The aim of this research is to analyze the Human Development Index and the factors that influence it in Sumatra for the 2018-2022 period. This research is quantitative research. The variables used in this research are the Human Development Index, Gross regional domestic product, Economic Growth, Poverty, and the Gini Index. The panel data method is used for analysis in the form of cross section data from 10 provinces on the island of Sumatra and time series data for 2018-2022. The results of this research show that Gross regional Domestic Product and Economic Growth have a negative and insignificant effect on the Human Development Index, Poverty and the Gini Index have a negative and significant effect on the Human Development Index in Sumatra for the 2018-2022 period.

Global Prevalence of Anemia Among Women of Reproductive Age, 2000-2019

Introduction: A common disease with significant impacts on health and quality of life, anemia is particularly prevalent in women of reproductive age due to blood losses during menstruation and pregnancy. Data from the World Health Organization (WHO) was analyzed to compare trends in prevalence of anemia in women aged 15-49 among countries and over time with the goal of identifying regions both successful and in need of assistance in combatting anemia. Methods: Publicly available data was obtained from the WHO on the prevalence of anemia among women aged 15-49 from 194 countries from 2000-2019, data being reported as percentages. Anemia was defined as hemoglobin &amp;lt; 12 g/dL for non-pregnant women and &amp;lt; 11 g/dL for pregnant women, with severe anemia being defined as hemoglobin &amp;lt; 8 g/dL for non-pregnant women and &amp;lt; 7 g/dL for pregnant women. WHO data was from both individual-level and summary statistics sources and hemoglobin was adjusted for altitude. Human development index (HDI) data and categories (low, medium, high, and very high) were obtained from the United Nations. Data was analyzed based on year, country, geographic region, and HDI, with ANOVA and Tukey HSD tests being used to analyze the relationship between HDI and anemia. Results: Worldwide from 2000 to 2013 the prevalence of anemia decreased, and then increased from 2013 to 2019 though remained lower than at 2000 levels; severe anemia decreased throughout the world from 2000 to 2019. Throughout all years, African countries had the highest prevalence of anemia and severe anemia while American and European countries had the lowest (Figure 1). When analyzed by HDI category, there was a significant difference among HDI categories with both total and severe anemia ( P &amp;lt; 0.001 for both). With each decrease in HDI category (very high to high, etc.) there was a significant increase in prevalence of total anemia (Table 1, P &amp;lt; 0.001 for all). For severe anemia, there was a significant difference in prevalence of anemia between all HDI levels except very high and high ( P = 0.09). Discussion: This data suggests that although the prevalence of anemia among reproductive age women has decreased over time there is still much work remaining, particularly in low HDI countries, where the prevalence of anemia was over twice that of very high HDI countries in 2019, and the prevalence of severe anemia was over three times as high. More research is needed into the relationship of anemia and socioeconomic status as well as preventing, recognizing and treating anemia.

Data-Driven Modeling of Human Development Index in Eastern Indonesia's Region Using Gaussian Techniques Empowered by Machine Learning

The Human Development Index (HDI) is a statistical measure used to measure and evaluate the progress and quality of human life in a country. For the Government of Indonesia, HDI is important because it is used to create or develop effective policies and programs. In addition, HDI is also used as one of the allocators in determining the General Allocation Fund. The 2022 HDI data released by BPS shows that there has been an increase in the HDI in each district/city over the last 12 years, including in the regions of Eastern Indonesia. High and low HDI values are influenced by several factors, and there are indications that there is spatial diversity where surrounding areas tend to have HDI levels that are not far from the area. The Geographically Weighted Regression method is used in this study because it takes into account spatial aspects. However, the GWR model must be built repeatedly if there is regional expansion. Therefore, a GWR model that applies machine learning methods is needed where the model is built and tested using different datasets, namely training data and test data, so that the model can predict new data better. The results obtained are that the GWR model with test data has a better R-Square value when compared to the GWR model previously trained using training data, which is 0.9946702, based on the linear regression model shows the results that the most influential factor on HDI in Eastern Indonesia is expected years of schooling (X2).

Burden of prostate cancer in the Middle East: A comparative analysis based on global cancer observatory data.

Prostate cancer represents a significant global health issue, yet our understanding of its impact in the Middle East remains limited. This study aimed to assess the incidence and mortality of prostate cancer in the Middle East, and compare these rates to those in Europe and North America. We utilized the 2020 Global Cancer Observatory data, compiling incidence and mortality rates of prostate cancer in 20 Middle Eastern countries. We calculated mortality-to-incidence ratios (MIR) and compared the age-standardized incidence rate (ASIR) and MIR between the Middle East and the combined regions of North America and Europe. The countries were further stratified based on the Human Development Index (HDI) and income level for additional analysis. In 2020, the Middle East documented an estimated 51,649 new prostate cancer diagnoses, accounting for 3.7% of global cases. Despite a significantly lower ASIR in the Middle East compared with Europe and North America (10.50 vs. 21.50, p = 0.0087), the region had a higher MIR (12.35 vs. 3.00, p = 0.0476). When stratified based on HDI or income levels, there was no significant difference in MIRs; however, a significant trend of increasing MIR with decreasing HDI (p = 0.028) and income levels (p = 0.016) was observed. Despite a lower incidence, our analysis showed a significantly higher MIR for prostate cancer in the Middle East compared with Europe and North America. These findings underscore the unique challenges posed by prostate cancer in the Middle East and emphasize the necessity of tailored strategies to address this pressing public health issue.

A registration trend in eyelid skin cancers and associated risk factors in Iran, 2005–2016

BackgroundEyelid skin cancers are the most prevalent ophthalmic malignancies. This study aimed to evaluate the association of the Human Development Index (HDI) and lifestyle risk factors with eyelid skin cancers in Iran.MethodsThis ecological study analyzed the data collected from the Iranian National Population-based Cancer Registry (2005–2016). The data on provincial-level eyelid skin cancer risk factors were obtained from national sources. The association between provincial HDI and lifestyle risk factors with the prevalence of eyelid skin cancers was assessed.ResultsThe mean 12-year age-standardized incidence rate (ASIR) of eyelid skin cancers was 16.22 per 100,000 (9,104 cases). The overall ASIR showed an upward trend with an estimated annual average increase of 0.006 per year. There were positive correlations between the prevalence of overall eyelid skin cancers and provincial HDI, smoking, and obesity (r = 0.32, 0.42, and 0.37, respectively). In multivariate analysis, obesity/overweight remained a positive predictor for high prevalence of total eyelid skin cancers (OR = 1.97, 95%CI = 1.08–3.58, P = 0.026), carcinoma (2.10, 1.15–3.83, P = 0.015), and basal cell carcinoma (1.48, 0.99–2.20, P = 0.054).ConclusionsAn increasing trend in ASIR of eyelid skin cancers was observed in more than a decade in Iran which was positively associated with provincial HDI and prevalence of obesity. The findings of the study highlight the importance of promotional programs for preventing obesity/overweight and appropriate allocation of screening facilities based on the HDI level.

HIERARCHICAL CLUSTER ANALYSIS OF DISTRICTS/CITIES IN NORTH SUMATRA PROVINCE BASED ON HUMAN DEVELOPMENT INDEX INDICATORS USING PSEUDO-F

Human development is needed to create prosperity and assist development in a country. In realising this, it is necessary to first look at the quality of human resources in the country, so that its use is more targeted. The measure used as a standard for the success of human development in a country is the Human Development Index (HDI). HDI figure are calculated from the aggregation of three dimensions, namely longevity and healthy living, knowledge, and decent standard of living. The longevity and healthy living dimension is represented by the Life Expectancy. Average Years of Schooling (AYS) and Expected Years of Schooling (EYS) are indicators representing the knowledge dimension. Meanwhile, the decent standard of living dimension is represented by the Expenditure per Capita indicator. The purpose of this study is to explain the characteristics of each cluster obtained from Hierarchical Cluster Analysis of districts/cities in North Sumatra Province based on HDI indicators in 2022 using Pseudo-F. The methods used are Hierarchical Cluster Analysis and Calinski-Harabasz Pseudo-F Statistic. The main concept of this method is to determine the optimum number of groups. This research uses secondary data obtained from BPS. The sample size in this study are 33 districts/cities and the number of variables are 4 variables. The results of the analysis of this study are the formation of 4 clusters with the best method is Ward. Cluster 1 consists of four members, namely Medan City, Pematang Siantar City, Binjai City, and Padang Sidempuan City, where this cluster has a very high HDI level. Meanwhile, Cluster 4 is a cluster that has a very low HDI level with four cluster members, namely Nias District, South Nias District, North Nias District, and West Nias District. Thus, it can be seen that there is a gap between regions in North Sumatra Province.

Socio-Economic Factors Associated with Ethnic Disparities in SARS-CoV-2 Infection and Hospitalization.

There is evidence that non-Italians presented higher incidence of infection and worse health outcomes if compared to native populations in the COVID-19 pandemic. The aim of the study was to compare Italian- and non-Italian-born health outcomes, accounting for socio-economic levels. We analyzed data relative to 906,463 people in Umbria (Italy) from 21 February 2020 to 31 May 2021. We considered the National Deprivation Index, the Urban-Rural Municipalities Index and the Human Development Index (HDI) of the country of birth. We used a multilevel logistic regression model to explore the influence of these factors on SARS-CoV-2 infection and hospitalization rates. Diagnosis in the 48 h preceding admission was an indicator of late diagnosis among hospitalized cases. Overall, 54,448 persons tested positive (6%), and 9.7% of them were hospitalized. The risk of hospital admission was higher among non-Italians and was inversely related to the HDI of the country of birth. A diagnosis within 48 h before hospitalization was more frequent among non-Italians and correlated to the HDI level. COVID-19 had unequal health outcomes among the population in Umbria. Reduced access to primary care services in the non-Italian group could explain our findings. Policies on immigrants' access to primary healthcare need to be improved.

Clinical manifestations of respiratory syncytial virus infection and the risk of wheezing and recurrent wheezing illness: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection in infants is a global health priority. We aimed to investigate the common manifestations of RSV infection by age group and human development index (HDI) level and to assess its association with the development of wheezing and recurrent wheezing illness. We searched the literature published between January 1, 2010 and June 2, 2022 in seven databases. Outcomes included common manifestations and long-term respiratory outcomes of RSV infection in children. Random- and fixed-effect models were used to estimate the effect size and their 95% confidence intervals. Subgroup analysis was conducted by age and HDI levels. This review was registered in PROSPERO (CRD42022379401). The meta-analysis included 47 studies. The top five manifestations were cough (92%), nasal congestion (58%), rhinorrhea (53%), shortness of breath (50%), and dyspnea (47%). The clinical symptoms were most severe in infants. In our analysis, compared to very high and high HDI countries, fewer studies in medium HDI countries reported related manifestations, and no study in low HDI countries reported that. The RSV-infected infants were more likely to develop wheezing than the non-infected infants [odds ratio (OR), 3.12; 95% CI, 2.59-3.76] and had a higher risk of developing wheezing illnesses after recovery (OR, 2.60; 95% CI, 2.51-2.70). Cough and shortness of breath are common manifestations of RSV infection. More attention should be given to infants and areas with low HDI levels. The current findings confirm an association between RSV infection and wheezing or recurrent wheezing illness.

Uncovering the coupling effect with energy-related carbon emissions and human development variety in Chinese provinces

Lessening energy-related carbon emissions has become a crucial measure to achieve Chinese carbon neutrality. This study is the first to construct a Difference in Carbon pressures-adjusted Human Development Index (DCHDI) model for the purpose of exploring the coupling effect between carbon emissions and human development variety from 2000 to 2019 in Chinese provinces. We demonstrate the following. (1) The total energy-related carbon footprint of 30 provinces in China reached 10.2 billion tons in 2019, with an average annual growth rate of 6.93% over the past two decades; and the provinces with the highest carbon emissions per capita are InnerMongolia, Ningxia, and Shanxi. (2) At the provincial level, we observed that the Human Development Index (HDI), which includes life expectancy, education, and income, has been rising, while Beijing, Shanghai, and Tianjin entered the super-high HDI level before 2008. (3) The entire coupling effect of 30 Chinese provinces has been broadly fortified in the last 20 years, but the growth rate of DCHDI values in 2011–2019 has slowed down compared with that in 2000–2010; the clustering phenomenon demonstrated that this discovery is associated with historical peaks in total carbon emissions. (4) The coordination degree of carbon emissions per capita and HDI was verified, and 96% of the data points were found in the range of super high coupling coordination degree. Overall, this study provides the government with worthwhile guidance for decision-making and carbon reduction strategies for other countries struggling to advance human sustainable development.

A human-centered approach to regional off-grid electrification budgeting: the Colombian case

The United Nations’ seventh Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) calls for clean and affordable energy to boost social mobility, especially in disadvantaged rural communities. Regional off-grid budget-allocation planning for rural electrification is traditionally performed following a minimum energy-cost paradigm. However, such a planning paradigm has had little impact on communities’ development. This study proposes a human-centered approach as an alternative planning paradigm. In this regard, we outline a bi-objective optimization model that evaluates the potential contributions of different budget-allocation strategies on energy costs and rural communities’ human development. The model is applied to the Colombian Pacific Coast, an impoverished region with several communities with various unmet human needs including education, nutrition, and health. Our results indicate that when budget-allocation decisions are made by the national government following the energy cost-minimization paradigm only a few communities benefit, leaving many with poor energy access for potential future human development. However, if the maximization of the Human Development Index (HDI) is employed as a planning paradigm the most disadvantaged subregions improve their energy service for a marginal cost, increasing their chances for potential improvements in human development. The results also suggest that the current off-grid electrification budget provided by the national government is not enough to improve the region’s chances of advancing its HDI level from low (HDI < 0.55) to medium (HDI ≥ 0.55), but doubling the budget would do so. Thus, this study contributes to the energy-sustainability literature by proposing a new planning paradigm for regional off-grid electrification.

Gender Asymmetries in Cross‐National Couples

AbstractWe use census microdata for Spain and the United States to examine gender differences in cross‐national heterosexual couples (marriages and cohabitating unions involving natives and immigrant spouses). We examine whether native men and native women in cross‐national couples exhibit similar patterns regarding the country of birth, age, and educational attainment of their international partners. Countries are ranked by their level of the human development index (HDI). In both Spain and the United States, native men are slightly overrepresented in cross‐national couples. Native men are more likely to be married to individuals from low HDI countries than native women. On the contrary, native women are predominantly married to men born in countries with similar or higher levels of HDI. Unions of native men are characterized by large spousal age differences, which increase with the HDI gap; this pattern reverses among native women. These gender asymmetries do not extend to education level, with cross‐national couples, overall, involving highly educated individuals. These results point to the endurance of certain features of traditional marriage patterns in cross‐national couples, but the patterns differ starkly between native men and native women.