2024 - Game changer? Planning for just and sustainable urban regions, Paris, 8-12th July

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Browsing 2024 - Game changer? Planning for just and sustainable urban regions, Paris, 8-12th July by Author "Avtar, Ram"

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    Quantifying the Effects of Spatial Determinants of Cooking Fuel Choices in India
    (AESOP, 2024) Tiwari, Vidhulekha; Avtar, Ram; Bandyopadhyay, Santanu; Jana, Arnab
    Household energy consumption constitutes approximately 30%, of India's overall energy consumption, with cooking alone accounting for about 40% of this household energy usage. According to the recent consumer survey of India, approximately 30% of the population is still using polluting fuels in India, and several policies like the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana have been launched to improve the penetration of LPG as the primary cooking fuel in households. While studies have examined the influence of socio-economic factors on household fuel choices, research focusing on spatial socio-economic dynamics remains limited. This study seeks to fill this gap by investigating the role of regional economies in shaping household cooking fuel preferences, thus addressing concerns related to sustainability and indoor air pollution. This study hypothesises that regional economies might play a significant role in influencing the cooking fuel choice of households. Given the fact that the subsidies and policies governing the cost and distribution of fuel are implemented on national or regional levels, coupled with existing regional disparities in India, studying the influence of spatial variables is imperative. Utilizing Spatial Regression Analysis, specifically the Spatial Lag Model, this research examines the impact of various regional variables on household fuel choices. Findings indicate that GDP per Capita, Built-up Area per 100 sqm, Percentage of main workers in the district and Percentage of households with land ownership exceeding 1 Ha significantly influence the prevalence of LPG usage as the primary cooking fuel in Indian households. For instance, an increase of INR 20,000 in GDP per capita of a district causes a 1% rise in LPG adoption among households in that district. Furthermore, the spatial lag coefficient highlights the spillover effect, indicating that a 1% increase in LPG usage among all the neighbouring districts leads to a 0.42% rise in LPG adoption among the households of the target district. This study underscores the implications of improved technology or new policies on energy usage patterns, suggesting a need for nuanced policy measures tailored to regional disparities. The insights generated from this analysis offer valuable guidance for policymakers and regional planners in formulating targeted interventions to address regional inequalities and promote sustainable development. Additionally, this spatial perspective enables an understanding of resource allocation for efficient regional development. Future research could enhance these findings by incorporating more detailed datasets and refining the Spatial Weights Matrix to account for factors such as connectivity and policy influences.. Keywords: Spatial Regression Analysis, Urban Energy Economics, Household Energy, Cooking Energy