Addressing energy poverty through education: How does gender matter?
利用2002-2021年中国省级面板数据，研究发现提高教育水平能缓解能源贫困，且女性教育对城市能源贫困的缓解作用大于男性，而男性教育在乡镇作用更大，收入不平等和性别教育不平等是重要机制。
Energy poverty (EPT) has emerged as a major policy concern in developed, transition, and developing economies. In China, energy has been a key enabler of economic and social development in recent decades. However, EPT can reduce the positive effects of this development. This paper studies the relationship between the nexus of key social-economic-geographic factors and EPT in the country, and further discusses the heterogeneity of various aspects and the mechanism roles of income inequality and gender educational inequality by using panel data of 30 Chinese provinces from 2002 to 2021. The main findings are: (1) An increase in per capita education reduces EPT; (2) the negative effect of education on EPT is stronger in the midwestern provinces; (3) the contribution of female education in alleviating urban EPT is substantially greater than that of male education; (4) in towns and villages, the impact of male education on EPT is greater than that of female education; and (5) income inequality and gender educational inequality are valid mechanisms in the education-EPT nexus. We put forward policy recommendations for improving the education level, narrowing education and gender inequality, and decreasing income gaps to alleviate EPT. • This study assesses the impact of educational level on energy poverty. • The gender educational heterogeneity is considered. • Improved educational level can alleviate energy poverty. • The impact of female education on energy poverty is greater than that of male. • Income inequality and gender educational inequality are valid path of education affecting energy poverty.