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Energy Intensity, Sectoral Growth, and Sustainable Development: Bangladesh Perspective

Corresponding Author : M. Zakir Saadullah Khan (zskbd@yahoo.com)

Authors : M. Zakir Saadullah Khan (zskbd@yahoo.com)

Keywords : Energy Intensity, Emission Intensity, Sectoral Growth, Sustainable Development

Abstract :

The central goal of sustainable development is to increase the material standards of living in the nations, and it is likely to be accompanied by a substantial increase in their energy use. Use of more energy resources to support high development activities negatively affects the environment. With the increasing use of energy for an increase in GDP, efficient use of energy will help energy conservation and reduce environmental degradation. This paper attempts to examine changes in sectoral patterns of energy use and its resulted environmental costs. Relating to three dimensions of sustainable development – economic, social, and environmental based on core three energy indicators, the role of energy consumption by different sectors is examined using time series data of Bangladesh over the period of 1991-2016. Analysis shows that people’s access to electricity increased five times and proportion of non-commercial energy in total energy consumption decreased over the study period. It also shows that energy intensity in most of the sectors is increasing except the highest energy-intensive power sector. This is an indicator of less energy efficiency and less conservations by those sectors. The environment is also degrading as the CO2 emission is growing from production process of most of the sectors. But recent growth of output in different sectorsis outweighing the growth of CO2 emission, and the growth of CO2 emission is also less than the sectoral growth of energy consumption indicating a trend of improvement. Energy can be an instrument for sustainable development with an emphasis on more efficient use of energy through reducing energy intensity and increasing use of renewable energy. 

Published on December 30th, 2021 in Vol 32, No 2, 2021 (Special Issue on Bangladesh Development Perspectives : Issues of Economic Justic, Social Sciences