Energy use, poverty and development in the SADC

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationship between economic growth, energy use, poverty alleviation and development in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) countries. Association is drawn between human development indices and energy consumption, economic growth and poverty. It turns out that poverty has a bearing on the types of energy consumed, which in turn, affects health, education and income earning opportunities. Access to reliable and affordable energy remains an essential prerequisite for combating poverty, and available evidence shows that a significant proportion of the population in SADC countries lack access even to the most basic energy supplies and services. Furthermore, inequalities penalize the poor by leaving them with a smaller share of income thus limiting their energy sources and weakening the poverty-reducing power of growth.