Devising strategies for sustainable development in sub-Saharan Africa: The roles of renewable, non-renewable energy, and natural resources

The Sub-Saharan African (SSA) countries are encountering difficulties in attaining sustainable development because of the non-alignment of the energy and climate policies with the human development aspects. The present study attempts to address this policy void by mainstreaming the human development aspects in the energy and climate policies of the SSA countries. In this pursuit, the impact of renewable, non-renewable energy and natural resources on sustainable development index is analyzed for 28 sub-Sahara African countries over 1990-2019. Presence of cross-sectional dependence is controlled through the application of Augmented Mean Group (AMG) and Common Correlated Effects Mean Group (CCEMG) estimation. The results reveal that renewable energy and natural resources have positive but insignificant impacts on sustainable development, while fossil fuel significantly and negatively affects sustainable development. The study outcomes are used to develop policy recommendations for the achievement of sustainable development in the SSA countries.

Automated summary

The Sub-Saharan African countries are facing challenges in achieving sustainable development due to the mismatch between energy and climate policies and human development aspects. This study aims to fill this policy gap by integrating human development aspects into the energy and climate policies of these countries. The analysis of renewable and non-renewable energy, as well as natural resources, reveals that renewable energy and natural resources have a positive but insignificant impact on sustainable development, while fossil fuel significantly and negatively affects it.