The Impact of Energy Consumption on the Three Pillars of Sustainable Development

Abstract

The paper analyzes the impact of energy consumption on the three pillars of sustainable development in 74 countries. The main methodological challenge in this research is the choice of a single integral indicator for assessing the social component of sustainable development. Disability-adjusted life year (DALY), ecological footprint, and GDP (Gross domestic product) are used to characterize the social, ecological, and economical pillars. The concept of physics, namely the concept of density (specific gravity), is used. It characterizes the ratio of the mass of a substance to its volume, i.e., reflects the saturation of a certain volume with this substance. Thus, to assess the relationship between energy consumption and the three foundations of sustainable development, it is proposed to determine the energy density of the indicators DALY, the ecological footprint, and GDP. The reaction to changes in energy consumption is described by the elasticity of energy density functions, calculated for each of the abovementioned indicators. The state of the social pillar is mostly dependent on energy consumption. As for the changes in the ecological pillar, a 1% reduction in energy consumption per capita gives only a 0.6% ecological footprint reduction, which indicates a low efficiency of reducing energy consumption policy and its danger for the social pillar. The innovative aspect of the research is to apply a cross-disciplinary approach and a calculative technique to identify the impact that each of the pillars of sustainable development imposes on energy policy design. The policy of renewable energy expansion is preferable for all sustainable development pillars.

Factors Influencing Consumer’s Adoption of Renewable Energy

“…Other forms of renewable energy include biomass energy harnessed from solid fuel from plant materials to generate electricity. Moreover, hydropower is one of the most commercialized forms of renewable energy harnessed from water reservoirs used to turn turbines that generate electricity [3][4][5][6].…”

Use of Renewable Energy Sources in the European Union and the Visegrad Group Countries—Results of Cluster Analysis

“…It was also mentioned that "there is no agreement on a comprehensive sustainable development theory, there are different contested theoretical approaches and definitions" [3] (p. 468). Nonetheless, the scientific community has agreed that SD is governed by a dynamic balance between the three pillars of civilization's progress: (1) economic, (2) social, and (3) environmental [4].…”

“…Nonetheless, the scientific community has agreed that SD is governed by a dynamic balance between the three pillars of civilization's progress: (1) economic, (2) social, and (3) environmental [4]. Nowadays, there is a growing emphasis on the importance of applying the concept of SD to the energy sector [5].…”

The Effects of Informational Feedback on the Energy Consumption of Online Services: Some Evidence for the European Union

“…The Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) industry has received relatively little attention in the field of green consumption. Despite all the efforts to foster the adoption of new technologies, "green ICT is a young and pioneering field" [11] (p. 37). In this era of unprecedented digital disruption, there is an ongoing debate about how ICT development can be turned to a more sustainable direction [12].…”