Energy Trilemma and Equity: Balancing Access, Growth, and Sustainability in the Global Transition

Energy Trilemma and Equity: Balancing Access, Growth, and Sustainability in the Global Transition | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article Energy Trilemma and Equity: Balancing Access, Growth, and Sustainability in the Global Transition Jabeur SALHI, Hayfa KAZOUZ This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-8513856/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract Purpose This study aims to investigate the interdependent relationships between energy access (EA), economic growth (GDP), and renewable energy consumption (REC) within the framework of energy justice. It highlights how these dynamics differ across income groups and regions, with a particular focus on inclusive development. Design/methodology/approach A three-equation structural model is estimated using 2SLS, 3SLS, and robust two-step GMM techniques on a panel of 110 countries covering the period 2000–2022. This methodological framework captures the bidirectional feedbacks among EA, GDP, and REC while addressing endogeneity and instrument validity concerns. Findings The results reveal a strong bidirectional relationship between renewable energy and economic growth in middle- and high-income countries. Energy access is found to be a critical driver of poverty reduction and inclusive growth in low-income regions, especially Sub-Saharan Africa. While fossil fuels still play a role in sustaining growth, their adverse environmental impacts highlight the urgency of transitioning towards cleaner and more efficient energy systems. The analysis further uncovers substantial heterogeneity across regions and income levels, underscoring the need for context-specific energy and growth policies. Originality/value This study advances the literature by embedding the concept of energy justice within the empirical analysis of energy–growth interactions, employing a robust econometric framework. It offers new evidence on the heterogeneous effects of energy access and renewable energy adoption on economic growth across different countries and income levels. The findings provide rigorous insights for policymakers, supporting the formulation of strategies that effectively reconcile economic development, environmental sustainability, and equitable access to energy resources. Environmental Policy Environmental Economics Energy Justice Renewable energies Economic growth Simultaneous equations GMM Estimate Full Text Additional Declarations The authors declare no competing interests. Cite Share Download PDF Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. Our growing team is made up of researchers and industry professionals working together to solve the most critical problems facing scientific publishing. Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-8513856","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":569045520,"identity":"6fa3407a-80da-4078-9a1e-343bcabcbbe6","order_by":0,"name":"Jabeur SALHI","email":"","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6602-0587","institution":"Higher Institute of Management of Sousse, University of Sousse Tunisia.","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Jabeur","middleName":"","lastName":"SALHI","suffix":""},{"id":569045521,"identity":"d0f037bd-f820-495a-862a-2984c7783630","order_by":1,"name":"Hayfa 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Transition\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","fulltext":[],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":false,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":true,"hideJournal":true,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":false,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":true,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":true,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true},"keywords":"Energy Justice, Renewable energies, Economic growth, Simultaneous equations, GMM Estimate","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-8513856/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8513856/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePurpose\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis study aims to investigate the interdependent relationships between energy access (EA), economic growth (GDP), and renewable energy consumption (REC) within the framework of energy justice. It highlights how these dynamics differ across income groups and regions, with a particular focus on inclusive development.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDesign/methodology/approach\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA three-equation structural model is estimated using 2SLS, 3SLS, and robust two-step GMM techniques on a panel of 110 countries covering the period 2000–2022. This methodological framework captures the bidirectional feedbacks among EA, GDP, and REC while addressing endogeneity and instrument validity concerns.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFindings\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe results reveal a strong bidirectional relationship between renewable energy and economic growth in middle- and high-income countries. Energy access is found to be a critical driver of poverty reduction and inclusive growth in low-income regions, especially Sub-Saharan Africa. While fossil fuels still play a role in sustaining growth, their adverse environmental impacts highlight the urgency of transitioning towards cleaner and more efficient energy systems. The analysis further uncovers substantial heterogeneity across regions and income levels, underscoring the need for context-specific energy and growth policies.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eOriginality/value\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis study advances the literature by embedding the concept of energy justice within the empirical analysis of energy–growth interactions, employing a robust econometric framework. It offers new evidence on the heterogeneous effects of energy access and renewable energy adoption on economic growth across different countries and income levels. The findings provide rigorous insights for policymakers, supporting the formulation of strategies that effectively reconcile economic development, environmental sustainability, and equitable access to energy resources.\u003c/p\u003e","manuscriptTitle":"Energy Trilemma and Equity: Balancing Access, Growth, and Sustainability in the Global Transition","msid":"","msnumber":"","nonDraftVersions":[{"code":1,"date":"2026-01-07 08:56:53","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-8513856/v1","editorialEvents":[{"type":"communityComments","content":0}],"status":"published","journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true}}],"origin":"","ownerIdentity":"d3547057-b5f8-471d-9d57-2eb515839d07","owner":[],"postedDate":"January 7th, 2026","published":true,"recentEditorialEvents":[],"rejectedJournal":[],"revision":"","amendment":"","status":"posted","subjectAreas":[{"id":60547575,"name":"Environmental Policy"},{"id":60547576,"name":"Environmental Economics"}],"tags":[],"updatedAt":"2026-01-07T08:56:53+00:00","versionOfRecord":[],"versionCreatedAt":"2026-01-07 08:56:53","video":"","vorDoi":"","vorDoiUrl":"","workflowStages":[]},"version":"v1","identity":"rs-8513856","journalConfig":"researchsquare"},"__N_SSP":true},"page":"/article/[identity]/[[...version]]","query":{"redirect":"/article/rs-8513856","identity":"rs-8513856","version":["v1"]},"buildId":"XKTyCvWXoU3ODBz1xrDgd","isFallback":false,"isExperimentalCompile":false,"dynamicIds":[84888],"gssp":true,"scriptLoader":[]}