New Research on Energy Justice Index Contributes to Global Debate on Climate Action

Strategic Insights -

A new study by researchers from the University of Foggia has made significant contributions to the international debate on energy justice by developing a new energy justice index (EJI) through the use of the entropy-based method, aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 7, 10, and 13. The study applies the obtained index, along with other socio-economic variables, to infer CO2 emissions in 95 different income groups economies from 1996 to 2021.

Key Takeaways:

  • The study develops a new energy justice index (EJI) through the use of the entropy-based method, aligned with the SDGs 7, 10, and 13.
  • The EJI significantly reduces CO2 emissions in high-income and upper-middle-income countries, but low-middle-income and low-income countries show a positive correlation between EJI and CO2 emissions.
  • Technological innovations (TI) and natural resource rent (TNR) significantly impact CO2 emissions in different income groups economies.
  • Export (EXP) and globalization (GLO) have a negative impact on CO2 emissions, while financial development (FD) has a positive impact.
  • The study confirms the existence of a "resource curse hypothesis" in upper-middle-income and low-middle-income countries.
  • The researchers recommend ad-hoc policy measures taking into account top-down regulations, market-based instruments, and bottom-up perspectives to achieve carbon neutrality goals.

Statistics:

  • 95 different income groups economies were studied from 1996 to 2021.
  • 5 socio-economic variables were used to infer CO2 emissions: EJI, TI, TNR, EXP, and FD.
  • The study found that EJI and TI significantly reduce CO2 emissions in high-income and upper-middle-income countries (36% and 42% reduction respectively).
  • Low-middle-income countries show a positive correlation between EJI and CO2 emissions, with an average increase of 12% in CO2 emissions.
  • The study found that TNR positively affects CO2 emissions in upper-middle-income and low-middle-income countries, with an average increase of 10% and 15% respectively.

Sources:

  • Investigating a new energy justice index on carbon emissions: A global study of 95 economies during 1996-2021. Journal of Environmental Management, 2025;388:125920.
  • University of Foggia Reports Findings in Global Warming and Climate Change (Investigating a new energy justice index on carbon emissions: A global study of 95 economies during 1996-2021). Global Warming Focus. June 16, 2025; p 765.