Environmental Sustainability and the First Demographic Dividend. The Case of Four Eastern African Countries

Sub-Saharan Africa faces immense challenges in spurring economic development and alleviating poverty, while these countries also should protect the environment amid population growth and industrial development. This study analyses the interrelationships between demographic change, economic growth, a...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Éva Berde, Seyoum Teffera Mengesha
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: AIDIC Servizi S.r.l. 2023-12-01
Series:Chemical Engineering Transactions
Online Access:https://www.cetjournal.it/index.php/cet/article/view/14312
_version_ 1797372195492593664
author Éva Berde
Seyoum Teffera Mengesha
author_facet Éva Berde
Seyoum Teffera Mengesha
author_sort Éva Berde
collection DOAJ
description Sub-Saharan Africa faces immense challenges in spurring economic development and alleviating poverty, while these countries also should protect the environment amid population growth and industrial development. This study analyses the interrelationships between demographic change, economic growth, and pollution in four East African countries – Ethiopia, Kenya, Sudan, and Uganda – from 1990-2019. Using panel data and econometric analysis, the paper examines whether declining fertility rates and parallel diminishing of the youth dependency burdens are associated with accelerated growth and rising emissions. The results affirm that falling fertility has opened a window of opportunity through the ‘first demographic dividend’, which can catalyse growth by increased shares of working-age individuals. However, this growth has been accompanied by rising carbon dioxide emissions, underscoring potential trade-offs between environmental and economic objectives. The findings highlight the importance of complementary health, education, governance, and sustainable production investments for countries to leverage their demographic dividends for inclusive and green growth. Successfully doing so will be vital to achieve multiple Sustainable Development Goals simultaneously.
first_indexed 2024-03-08T18:31:23Z
format Article
id doaj.art-0779985a3d294b81a0db21cbf8e0a5eb
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 2283-9216
language English
last_indexed 2024-03-08T18:31:23Z
publishDate 2023-12-01
publisher AIDIC Servizi S.r.l.
record_format Article
series Chemical Engineering Transactions
spelling doaj.art-0779985a3d294b81a0db21cbf8e0a5eb2023-12-29T23:51:53ZengAIDIC Servizi S.r.l.Chemical Engineering Transactions2283-92162023-12-01107Environmental Sustainability and the First Demographic Dividend. The Case of Four Eastern African CountriesÉva BerdeSeyoum Teffera MengeshaSub-Saharan Africa faces immense challenges in spurring economic development and alleviating poverty, while these countries also should protect the environment amid population growth and industrial development. This study analyses the interrelationships between demographic change, economic growth, and pollution in four East African countries – Ethiopia, Kenya, Sudan, and Uganda – from 1990-2019. Using panel data and econometric analysis, the paper examines whether declining fertility rates and parallel diminishing of the youth dependency burdens are associated with accelerated growth and rising emissions. The results affirm that falling fertility has opened a window of opportunity through the ‘first demographic dividend’, which can catalyse growth by increased shares of working-age individuals. However, this growth has been accompanied by rising carbon dioxide emissions, underscoring potential trade-offs between environmental and economic objectives. The findings highlight the importance of complementary health, education, governance, and sustainable production investments for countries to leverage their demographic dividends for inclusive and green growth. Successfully doing so will be vital to achieve multiple Sustainable Development Goals simultaneously.https://www.cetjournal.it/index.php/cet/article/view/14312
spellingShingle Éva Berde
Seyoum Teffera Mengesha
Environmental Sustainability and the First Demographic Dividend. The Case of Four Eastern African Countries
Chemical Engineering Transactions
title Environmental Sustainability and the First Demographic Dividend. The Case of Four Eastern African Countries
title_full Environmental Sustainability and the First Demographic Dividend. The Case of Four Eastern African Countries
title_fullStr Environmental Sustainability and the First Demographic Dividend. The Case of Four Eastern African Countries
title_full_unstemmed Environmental Sustainability and the First Demographic Dividend. The Case of Four Eastern African Countries
title_short Environmental Sustainability and the First Demographic Dividend. The Case of Four Eastern African Countries
title_sort environmental sustainability and the first demographic dividend the case of four eastern african countries
url https://www.cetjournal.it/index.php/cet/article/view/14312
work_keys_str_mv AT evaberde environmentalsustainabilityandthefirstdemographicdividendthecaseoffoureasternafricancountries
AT seyoumtefferamengesha environmentalsustainabilityandthefirstdemographicdividendthecaseoffoureasternafricancountries