Department of Economics and Development Studies, Covenant University, Ota, Nigeria.
Regional Centre of Expertise (RCE) Ogun, Covenant University, Ota, Nigeria.
PLoS One. 2021 Nov 4;16(11):e0259488. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0259488. eCollection 2021.
This study contributes towards the realization of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 13 which aims "take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts" by investigating the role of per capita income in moderating the impact of energy use on carbon emissions. Using data from 28 selected African countries covering 1990 to 2019 and deploying the FGLS, PCSE, and MM-QR techniques, findings reveal, among others, that: at the 1% significance level, a percentage change in energy use leads to between 0.60% and 0.70% increase in carbon emissions, on average, ceteris paribus. Correspondingly, income shows to be a positive driver of emissions contributing between 0.87% and 0.84% percentage increase, on average, ceteris paribus. Also, per capita income attenuates the impact of energy use on emissions by between -0.27% and -0.23%, on average, ceteris paribus. However, significant heterogeneities occur across the sub-regions. Specifically, Southern Africa shows the largest energy contributor to emissions 1.65% while Central Africa contributes the most to aggravating emissions by 1.87% through increase in per capita income. West Africa shows the largest moderation effect at -0.56%. Across the quartiles, the effects of energy use and per capita are positive. Given these, we submit that the strong correlation between energy usage and per capita income (i.e. economic growth) poses a dilemma for African economies in their drive for growth. Leaving room for trade-offs. Perhaps, the lesson is that as African countries seek for more development without contributing to carbon emissions, governments should invest more in renewable energy.
本研究通过调查人均收入在调节能源使用对碳排放的影响方面的作用，为实现可持续发展目标 13 做出了贡献，该目标旨在“紧急行动起来，应对气候变化及其影响”。本研究使用了来自 1990 年至 2019 年期间的 28 个选定非洲国家的数据，并采用 FGLS、PCSE 和 MM-QR 技术，研究结果发现：在 1%的显著水平下，能源使用量的百分比变化平均导致碳排放增加 0.60%至 0.70%，其他条件不变。相应地，收入被证明是排放的正驱动力，平均而言，其他条件不变，贡献了 0.87%至 0.84%的排放百分比增加。此外，人均收入平均在其他条件不变的情况下，通过-0.27%至-0.23%的幅度，减轻了能源使用对排放的影响。然而，在各个子区域都存在显著的异质性。具体而言，南部非洲的能源对排放的贡献最大，为 1.65%，而中部非洲通过人均收入的增加对加剧排放的贡献最大，为 1.87%。西非显示出最大的缓和效应，为-0.56%。在四分位数范围内，能源使用和人均的影响都是积极的。鉴于此，我们认为能源使用和人均收入（即经济增长）之间的强相关性对非洲经济体的增长构成了困境。这为权衡取舍留下了空间。也许，教训是，随着非洲国家在不增加碳排放的情况下寻求更多的发展，政府应该在可再生能源方面投入更多。
