Spatial Evaluation of Multidimensional Energy Poverty in Punjab, Pakistan

Abstract

The intense objective of the present study is to explore the multidimensional energy poverty in Punjab with regions and administrative divisions by utilizing couples of the latest Household Integrated Economic Survey (HIES) datasets, i.e., 2015-16 and 2018-19. The study uses the well-organized, globally accepted indexing method of Alkire and Foster (2011) to explore the outcomes of energy poverty in a multidimensional context. Outcomes of multidimensional energy poverty evaluate that in the study area, energy poverty is purely a rural phenomenon across each dual cut-off from K=2 to 4 because rural areas residences are most victimized of a precise social threat compared to urban regions. Over time comparison reveals the declining trend of energy poverty at the provincial level as well as across a maximum number of divisions and their representative areas. Finally, comparative measurements deliberately explore that across divisions, D.G. Khan is harshly victim of multidimensional energy poverty in both base and terminal years compared to all other divisions. Further, calculated measures of the multifaceted energy poverty approach demonstrate that energy poverty with a varying cut-off from 2 to 4 gets declined, which means the maximum population of the study area is mainly deprived of basic energy services. Therefore, as per policy concern, especially in multiple aspects energy poverty context, it is need of the time, on one side, to improve the financial status of the households while on the other side, it is also necessary to provide basic energy services like electricity and gas at the doorstep of the families mainly resides in rural areas. With the availability of primary energy services and high financial status, they also utilized modern energy appliances for home use, communication and entertainment, ultimately leading to a decline in energy poverty in the area under study.