ABSTRACT
This chapter analyses energy sustainability, with specific emphasis on measuring various dimensions (availability, efficiency, and acceptability) of energy sustainability and assessing the nature of interactions between these dimensions. A combination of measurement (i.e. principal–component–analysis based, weighted average, composite indices of energy sustainability) and assessment (i.e. relevant econometric tests, panel causality analysis, and fully modified least square (FMOLS) regression) approaches is employed for this purpose. The case-in-point context for the analysis of this chapter is provided by 19 Asian economies, divided into three groups: mature, fast-growing, and emerging. The empirical analysis reveals that the Asian economies have experienced significant improvement in the overall sustainability of their energy systems over 1990–2016. This improvement has, however, varied across different dimensions of energy sustainability. The interactions between these dimensions also vary across economies. These findings imply that such a varied outcome on energy sustainability is the result of unbalanced policy approaches that have been implemented without a clear understanding of their potential unintended consequences. Based on these findings, this chapter draws some key insights for policymakers to develop a much more balanced approach for promoting energy sustainability in the region.
