Search Results (36)

The EU has consistently tackled the challenge of energy poverty (EP) through various legislative and non-legislative measures, particularly in the context of ongoing energy crisis, but it should also support the reduction of income inequality that might accelerate EP. The aim of this study is to evaluate the impact of income inequality on EP and other interconnected indicators in the EU in the period 2005–2023 using method of moments quantile (MMQ) regression and mean group (MG) estimators. The results suggest that income inequality based on Gini index enhances energy poverty, while gender pay gap, economic growth, and urban population reduce it. Foreign direct investment (FDI) and renewable energy consumption (REC) might combat EP only in the long-run. These findings suggest that macroeconomic policies should focus not only on economic growth, but also on addressing income inequalities. Policymakers must prioritize measures to reduce income inequality, such as progressive taxation or targeted social programs. Full article

The lower reaches of the Jinsha River, serving as a vital ecological barrier in southwestern China and playing a crucial role in advancing targeted poverty alleviation efforts, remain underexplored in terms of the coupling between ecological and economic development, creating a gap in understanding the region’s sustainable development potential. This study combines the remote sensing ecological index (RSEI) derived from MODIS data and the biodiversity richness index (BRI) based on land use data to create the ecological environment index (EEI) using a weighted approach. It also develops the economic development index (EDI) from economic data using the entropy weight method. By integrating the EEI and EDI, the study calculates key metrics, including the ecological–economic coupling degree (EECD), coupling coordination degree (EECCD), and relative development degree (EERDD), and examines their spatiotemporal changes from 2000 to 2020. Additionally, the study applies a geographic detector model to identify the spatial drivers of the EEI, an obstacle factor diagnosis model to pinpoint the main barriers to EDI, and a neural network model to uncover the underlying forces shaping EECCD. The results indicate that: (I) From 2000 to 2020, the overall improvement rate of the ecological and economic subsystems was greater than that of the ecological–economic coupling system. The entire region is still in the Running-In Stage, and the coordination level has been upgraded from near imbalance to marginal coordination. About 85% of the counties’ EERDDs are still in the EDI Behind EEI Stage. (II) The structural composition of the EEI shows a pattern of low Dry Hot Valley Area and high in other areas, mainly driven by natural factors, although human activities had a notable impact on these interactions. (III) Originating from an impact model primarily driven by economic factors and supplemented by ecological factors, both EDI and EECCD exhibit a pattern of high in the south and low in the north, with improvements spreading northward from the urban area of Kunming. The development gradient differences between 24 poverty-stricken counties and 16 non-poverty-stricken counties have been reduced. (IV) For the six types of ecological–economic coupling development zones, it is essential to adopt localized approaches tailored to the differences in resource and environmental characteristics and development stages. Key efforts should focus on enhancing ecological protection and restoration, increasing financial support, implementing ecological compensation mechanisms, and promoting innovative models for sustainable development. Full article

Italy has long experienced a significant developmental gap between its northern and southern regions, with the latter being less developed. The 2007–2008 financial crisis accentuated this gap, leading to distinct patterns of interregional migration. This paper aims to investigate the effects of past migration flows and income inequality on interregional mobility in Italy, using a gravity model with bidirectional dyads and three different measures of inequality as dependent variables: Gini Index, Relative Poverty, and Income Ratio. Previous research has shown that living in highly unequal regions is associated with increased mistrust and anxiety about social status, contributing to unhappiness among residents. Using bilateral gross migration flows for the period 2007–2018, the study aims to control for the potential endogeneity between interregional mobility and inequality. The results indicate a positive relationship between high levels of inequality and interregional out-mobility, underscoring the need for policies aimed at reducing both horizontal and vertical inequality within and among Italian regions. Full article

Poverty is the oldest social problem that ever existed and is difficult to reverse. It is multidimensional and unmeasurable. Thus, measuring by decomposing rural multidimensional poverty is critical. Most poverty studies are usually generic, exposed to large sampling errors, and intended for macroeconomic decisions. Thus, measuring poverty for a specific locality with various configurations (15) is critical for economic development. The paper combines predictive analytics and advanced econometrics to decompose poverty at the micro-level by utilizing the Community-Based Monitoring system at complete enumeration (L = 34, S = 4). Logistic Regression (78) Models with 19 Independent Variables and 12 Intervening Variables were fitted. Headcount Analysis (0.2138–0.9845), Poverty Gap (0.2228–0.0502), Severity statistics (0.0723–0.0168) and Watts Index (0.2724–0.0618) are scrutinized. Poverty levels vary by location; a significant fraction of the population (P_0i = 68.50%, P_0f = 55.80%) and households (P_0i = 63.70%, P_0f = 50.70%) live below the poverty line and food threshold. It has been revealed that poverty is extreme in Isarog (i = 0.7793), moderate in Poblacion (p = 0.4019), intense in Ranggas (r = 0.6542), and severe in Salog (s = 0.6353). Multidimensional variables (13VAR) significantly predict poverty outcomes (p-value = 0.0000, PseudoR2 = 0.75). Moreover, intervening variables have been impacting poverty across all locals. All models tested are significant across all sectors and correctly predicted by the model classifications (Estat = 73.29–74.12%). Poverty is multifaceted; thus, it requires different interventions. Finally, policy proposals (54) were outlined to alleviate poverty and promote local economic development. Full article

This paper summarises the evolution of the Water Poverty Index (WPI) application at different scales since its emergence. The review captures the main milestones and remarkable developments around the world. It sets the foundation for identifying the most appropriate version of the WPI, building on learning from previous versions. In addition, the paper sheds light on the linkages between the WPI and sustainable development goals and applications to fragile contexts. Therefore, it provides a synthesis of knowledge researchers and practitioners’ need in sustainable water resources management that helps boost human development in unstable/fragile arid and semi-arid contexts. The methodology included (i) WPI literature shortlisting and reviewing, (ii) review literature links WPI with sustainable human development and fragility, and (iii) data analysis, identification of gaps and future trends. Intensive research was found to address the limitations of the WPI. However, further research is needed to shortlist the multiple versions of the WPI and match them to their respective scale, purpose and context (including fragile contexts). In addition, a time-based WPI was rarely touched to forecast the impact of decisions on community welfare. Full article

In the global context of rural development in developing countries, the integration of digital technology into agriculture has emerged as a pivotal strategy for modernizing rural areas and boosting agricultural productivity. A focal point of policy initiatives, digital village construction aims to harness digital technology to empower rural development. Despite widespread recognition of its potential benefits for agricultural development, empirical evidence on its specific impacts, particularly on farmland scale operation, remains scarce. This study investigates the relationship between digital village construction and farmland scale operation in China, leveraging data from Sichuan Province’s rural revitalization strategy and Peking University’s Digital Village Index. Our analysis reveals a significant enhancement in farmland scale operation, particularly in non-poverty and non-border villages, after addressing potential endogeneity in the estimation. Mechanism analysis demonstrates that digital village construction drives scaled operation and management through improved agricultural production efficiency, the establishment of agricultural industry systems, and the advancement of agricultural engineering projects. However, its impact varies across village types, underscoring potential disparities in rural development. These findings suggest that continued investment in digital village construction is essential to stimulate rural development, focusing on leveraging digital technologies to enhance agricultural productivity and providing targeted support for remote and underserved rural areas to bridge the digital gap and foster inclusive growth. Full article

Poverty, particularly in developing regions, is a complex, multifaceted issue deeply embedded in various interrelated factors. It extends beyond mere financial insufficiency, encompassing limited access to essential services such as healthcare, education, and overall living standards. This study examines both the unidimensional and multidimensional aspects of rural poverty in Suri Sadar Sub-Division, located in Eastern India. For the unidimensional aspect, this study employs the poverty headcount ratio and the Poverty Gap Index to gauge the incidence and intensity of poverty. In contrast, the multidimensional approach utilized three dimensions and 12 indicators to assess the incidence, severity, and multidimensional poverty index utilizing the Alkire–Foster (AF) methodology. The unidimensional analysis, focusing on income and consumption, highlights significant economic disparities, particularly in the western Community Development Blocks, namely, Khoyrasole, Md. Bazar, and Rajnagar. The highest levels of multidimensional poverty are generally consistent with the unidimensional findings, particularly in the western blocks. These results underscore the need for comprehensive poverty reduction strategies that address both economic and broader aspects of poverty. In areas like the western blocks, where both income-based and multidimensional poverty rates are high, strategies should integrate economic development, improved healthcare access, enhanced educational quality, and living standards improvement. Therefore, this study serves not only as an academic endeavor but also as a vital tool for informed policymaking in poverty alleviation, providing planners, administrative officials, and researchers with essential insights to develop effective, localized, and sustainable poverty reduction strategies. Full article

Eradicating poverty and improving human well-being are pivotal objectives for achieving global sustainable development. Sustainable agriculture, as a key domain, plays a crucial role in addressing poverty. However, to date, there remains insufficient research on the specific impact of agricultural green development on poverty. To bridge this gap, we utilize panel data from 273 prefecture-level cities in China from 2006 to 2022 to explore how agricultural green development affects poverty based on constructing a regional multidimensional poverty index and an index of green agriculture. Our study reveals that agricultural green development effectively reduces poverty, particularly in regions of deep poverty and the eastern part of China. Further mediating analysis indicates the alleviation of poverty by agricultural green development through the infrastructure, the industrial structure, and the green technology innovation effect. Our findings offer valuable insights for informing policies on agricultural green development and poverty reduction, as well as for improving government resource allocation and strengthening resilience in impoverished areas. By deepening our understanding of the link between green agriculture and poverty, this research significantly contributes to global agricultural sustainability and expedites poverty eradication worldwide. Full article

Around the world, people are becoming more and more worried about how globalization will affect their standard of living. According to the literature, globalization has resulted in the marginalization of the impoverished populations in developing economies and has exacerbated inequality, while the opposite may also be true. The objective of this study is to investigate the impact of globalization on income inequality. The study used two-stage least squares (2SLS) to study the influence of globalization on income inequality in 18 developing countries from 1991–2021. Utilizing the KOF index of globalization, it is determined that globalization, together with its three aspects, has a negative effect on income inequality among developing economies. Evidence demonstrates that the combination of trade openness and foreign direct investment (FDI) plays a significant role in reducing inequality among developing economies. We recommend developing economies actively support globalization in terms of trade and FDI in accordance with the findings. By expanding trade opportunities and opening up markets, globalization can benefit developing nations. This may result in a rise in FDI, the creation of jobs, and technological developments. Governments can contribute to raising the living standards of their inhabitants, lowering rates of poverty, and closing the income gap by promoting globalization. Although the study emphasizes the well-established link between globalization and income inequality, it focuses on the effects of various globalization dimensions, emphasizing the need to comprehend how different dimensions of globalization, namely economic, political, and social globalization affects inequality in developing economies. Full article

Empowering women is essential for poverty alleviation and open involvement of woman entrepreneurs in line for entrepreneurship development. Nonetheless, several woman-led enterprises and woman entrepreneurs have scarce opportunities to revitalize beyond the dearth of financial services to realize financial freedom. This article’s approach hinges on a bibliometric analysis to survey recent developments and trends in microfinancing woman-owned enterprises and how this field is expected to transform to recent financial technological progress over successive years. We review existing evidence from 402 published articles indexed in the Scopus database from January 2003 to March 2023 to explain the current research development and interrelated prospects for enhancing studies on microfinance for woman entrepreneurship. The results vividly indicate that access to a stream of microfinancing credit is fundamental to the prosperity of urban woman-led enterprises across all countries. Despite this, woman entrepreneurs still encounter several obstacles when starting new businesses or expanding existing ones. With a growing demand for substantial sums of external financing to transition to sustainable business practices, their contribution to sustainable development is most often unreachable. Thus, any financing strategies focused on allowing access to microfinance credit by woman entrepreneurs are necessary to enable this sector to receive the benefits of economic freedom. This study offers good insights for current and potential entrepreneurs to bridge the financing gaps in emerging economies as a strategy for strengthening the capability of woman entrepreneurs to pursue economic opportunities that can inspire sustainable business enterprises and contribute to sustainable development. Finally, the study provides a foundation for future research in the domain of entrepreneurial financing for MSMEs. Full article

Financial development is often associated with significant economic growth, but studies have shown that a high level of financial development can be the cause of deepening income inequality in many countries. The main objective of the proposed study is to identify to what extent financial development influences income inequality in Central and Eastern European Countries (CEEC). Thus, for the model specification we used as dependent variable the Gini coefficient and as independent variable the financial development index. The sample period for the analysis was from 2004 to 2019, restricted by the lack of data on the Gini coefficient in CEECs. Data on the financial development index were collected from International Monetary Fund, and data on the Gini coefficient were extracted from the World Bank’s Poverty and Inequality Platform. The study unravels several contributions. First of all, the use of quantile regression allowed for the examination of the effects of financial development across the entire distribution of income inequality. Second of all, the use of a comprehensive financial development index offered a more robust and comprehensive measure of financial development compared to single indicators. Taking into account that the Gini coefficient must be close to zero, this result was a positive one with, in essence, financial development reducing income inequality in CEECs. Thirdly, the specific focus on CEECs fills a gap in the literature. Finally, the findings of this study have important policy implications. The obtained results indicate a negative causal relationship between financial development and income inequality, emphasizing the fact that the relationship between these two components cannot be generalized for all regions. These might include measures to promote financial inclusion, improve financial literacy, and enhance the stability and efficiency of financial systems. Supporting financial development in CEECs and similar transition economies can be an effective strategy for tackling income inequality. Full article

Microfinance has become one of the most important financing alternatives for business start-ups, especially for vulnerable groups in poor regions. Microfinance provides access to financial products, especially to people who have been excluded from the traditional financial system. However, the mainstream literature on microfinance shows its impact on poverty alleviation, but it is not yet well developed to understand its dynamizing role in the entrepreneurial sector. There is still a large gap in the literature on analyzing microfinance as a financing alternative, so this paper seeks to find this relationship in the literature. A bibliometric analysis is applied, both of the performance of the publications and a word co-occurrence analysis during the period 2017–2022. The articles indexed in the Web of Science have been considered and systematized through the SCIMAT software v1.1.04, developed by the Soft Computing and Intelligent Information Systems Research Group, University of Granada, Granada, Spain. Microfinance institutions, education, entrepreneurship, organizational performance, business microcredits, and women microentrepreneurs have been identified as driving themes to be considered in future analyses. At the end of the document, the proposed future lines of research are presented. In addition, the results show the growing interest of the academic community in the topic, with 2022 being the year with the highest number of articles published on the topic. Full article

Prenatal depression is prevalent and adversely impacts maternal and infant health. This study addresses a critical literature gap and investigates the association between maternal diet quality and prenatal depressive symptoms, as well as the moderating effect of economic well-being on this link. A cross-sectional design was used, including 43 healthy pregnant women in the second trimester aggregated from two research projects. Prenatal depressive symptoms were assessed using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale. Dietary quality was evaluated using two non-consecutive 24 h dietary recalls, from which the Adapted Dietary Inflammatory Index (ADII) and the Healthy Eating Index (HEI)-2015 were derived. Economic well-being was indicated by the income-to-poverty ratio. A higher HEI-2015 (adherence to dietary guidelines; β = −0.53, p = 0.01) and negative ADII (anti-inflammatory diet; β = 0.40, p = 0.06) were associated with fewer prenatal depressive symp-toms. Among pregnant women with worse economic well-being, a pro-inflammatory diet was as-sociated with more prenatal depressive symptoms (b = 1.69, p = 0.004), but among those with better economic well-being, the association was not significant (b = 0.51, p = 0.09). Dietary interventions aimed at reducing dietary inflammation might hold some promise for improving mental health among pregnant women who are economically vulnerable. Full article

The livelihood of many households and communities in the Central Zagros of Iran is strongly dependent on income from forests. While this has led to the widespread over-utilization of forests, poverty levels have remained high and rural development low. The objective of this study was to understand how households utilize forests and to what extent forests contribute to household income and alleviate poverty in order to develop strategies to raise families out of poverty and offer development perspectives to communities that avoid destructive forest utilization. To do so, semi-structured interviews were conducted in five rural communities, community poverty was quantified using several indices (e.g., the Census Ratio Index, Poverty Gap Index), the level of rural development was quantified using socio-economic indicators, and an inferential model was developed that combines household dependence on forests with the level of rural development to provide development perspectives. Local households earned income from nine livelihood strategies that involve forests. Forest-dependent strategies provided the second highest economic share (18.1%) of household income, averaging IRR 27.7 million (USD 657) annually, and moved 12% of households above the poverty line (76% still remained below). Without forest income, most indices of poverty decreased, income inequality increased by 11%, and poverty depth increased 1.54-fold. The low development index of most villages indicates that rural villagers are heavily dependent on forests to meet their livelihood. Our conceptual model indicates that communities should pursue different development strategies that consider whether households depend on forests to meet their livelihood or derive more supplemental income. Full article

This study argues that Vision 2030 and social housing should consider the elements of the sociocultural dimension of urban design (SDUD) to alleviate urban poverty-induced feelings. By examining public spaces in the context of Vision 2030 and the implementation of social housing projects, this study aims to provide a theoretical framework that may assist city policymakers in rethinking the role of public spaces in alleviating poverty-related feelings. A review of the relevant literature explores the SDUD elements and builds an index to measure poverty through bibliometric and content analysis. This index was used to analyze the gaps in Vision 2030 in South Africa, Kenya, and Egypt, which we randomly chose. It focused on SDUD elements, social housing, and public spaces. We empirically examined the role of public spaces in alleviating poverty-related feelings using the SDUD index. We applied episodic narrative and interview-based storytelling techniques to a limited group of poor residents in the Al Asmarat Housing Project in Mokattam, Cairo, Egypt. This interview discusses the role of public spaces in reducing poverty-related feelings. The results focus on exploring the four SDUD elements of poverty and examining how public spaces alleviate poverty-induced feelings. Vision 2030 revolves around SDUD elements, social housing, and public spaces. Urban design policies can alleviate poverty in development projects for the poor. Integrating urban design policies into Vision 2030 makes city dwellers in developing countries feel less inferior. Full article