Mapping evidence of individuals’ sustainable consumption behaviour and energy or transport use in Africa: A scoping review

The study aims to systematically map and describe the evidence on individual’s sustainable consumption behaviour and energy and transport use in Africa. The paper employed Arskey and O’Malley’s’ framework of 2005 as a guide to conduct a scoping review. Using keywords separated by Boolean terms (AND/OR) with all limiters removed, relevant published studies in Science Direct, SCOPUS, and Google Scholar were searched. Full-text screening guided by the inclusion criteria was independently conducted and data extraction was done using a piloted form to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the data. The results revealed that out of 176 studies, six met this study’s inclusion criteria and were included for data extraction. Among the six included studies, two were multi-country studies involving African countries, and study each was conducted in Ghana, Mauritius, South Africa, and Egypt. Of the included studies, five were on sustainable energy consumption domain, one on energy use and recycling behaviour, and the factors influencing sustainable energy consumption; price, income, urbanization, intention, attitudes, subjective norms and personal values. However, we found no evidence on individual’s sustainable consumption behaviour and transport use. Concluding, the results suggest that limited studies on sustainable consumption behaviour of energy and transport use are found in Africa. Therefore, further studies are needed to protect the gains made so far on environmental sustainability as well as to encourage and improve the individual’s sustainable consumption practices.

Download Full-text

THE OBSTACLES TO ENERGY SAVING IN RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS IN NIGERIA: STAKEHOLDERS’ PERSPECTIVES

10.31705/wcs.2021.46 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

A.T. Ibrahim ◽

◽

N.G. Fernando ◽

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Energy Consumption ◽

Energy Saving ◽

Energy Use ◽

Energy Savings ◽

Residential Buildings ◽

Sustainable Energy ◽

Behavioural Change ◽

Consumption Behaviour ◽

The Impact

Over the past three decades research on energy use in buildings has become significant due to increasing scientific and political pressure on issues concerning global warming and climate change. As part of the impact by climate change, tropical nations are faced with several challenges in achieving energy savings, particularly the energy consumption behaviour of building occupants, with very little research coming from Africa. Previous research has shown that variations due to occupant behaviour is substantial. To address these challenges in line with the objectives of some of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) (namely, clean and sustainable energy, as well as climate action) in residential buildings, this paper explores the perceptions of stakeholders by identifying the barriers which affect energy use from different cultural perspectives. Qualitative data were collected using semi-structured telephone interviews with experts in the energy and construction fields in Nigeria. The purpose of the interviews was to provide an insight into residential energy consumption behaviour and the barriers faced in the adoption of sustainable energy sources. The results were analysed using an energy cultural framework. An analysis of the results shows that continuous awareness of energy saving behavioural change, government subsidies for renewable energy, government checks, and the standardization of energy-efficient appliances imported into the country can improve people’s trust regarding sustainable choices and can promote efficient energy use. The outcome from this work is expected to give a better understanding of energy use behaviour and inform future energy policies and interventions related to household energy saving.

Download Full-text

Trapped Between Two Pandemics: Domestic Violence Cases Under COVID-19 Pandemic Lockdown: A Scoping Review

International Quarterly of Community Health Education ◽

10.1177/0272684x211022121 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 0272684X2110221

Author(s):

Endurance Uzobo ◽

Aboluwaji D Ayinmoro

Keyword(s):

South Africa ◽

Domestic Violence ◽

Scoping Review ◽

Literature Search ◽

Web Of Science ◽

Biomed Central ◽

Inclusion Criteria ◽

African Countries ◽

The World ◽

The Government

Background As it is common with the most devastating events in the world, women always seem to be at the most disadvantage position. This situation manifested during the period of COVID-19 lockdown throughout the world and Africa in particular. The purpose of this study is to explore Domestic Violence (DV) cases in African during the COVID-19 lockdown. Methods Data for this study were gleaned from an electronic literature search using various databases PubMed and BioMed Central, Web of Science, etc. Key search words were gender DV during and after COVID-19. A total of 68 records were identified during the search. However, only 46 of these sources met the inclusion criteria. Results From the review done in selected African countries which include Egypt, South Africa, Kenya, Nigeria, Ghana and Zimbabwe; it was discovered that COVID-19 lockdown across these countries worsens the already existing cases of DV. The study also noted that generally, the response of the government has been very poor in terms of dealing with DV cases in the period of COVID-19 lockdown. Conclusion The study concluded that despite the failures of government in tackling the DV pandemics, NGOs have been very active in championing the cause of those violated while also trying to provide succour to victims. Thus, the study recommended that countries in Africa need to join international initiatives in prioritising DV cases while trying to deal with the virus itself. Thus, one disease should not be traded for another.

Download Full-text

Going Green to Stay in the Black: Transnational Capitalism and Renewable Energy

Perspectives on Global Development and Technology ◽

10.1163/156914911x555099 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 10 (1) ◽

pp. 41-59 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Jerry Harris

Keyword(s):

Renewable Energy ◽

Wind Energy ◽

Environmental Sustainability ◽

Social Transformation ◽

Energy Use ◽

Sustainable Energy ◽

Political Rhetoric ◽

Fair Treatment ◽

Green Capitalism ◽

Global Patterns

AbstractSustainable energy use is rapidly developing, often with state support and patriotic political rhetoric. But the solar and wind energy industries are highly transnationalized and already inserted into global patterns of accumulation. While possibly solving some of the most pressing problems between capitalism and environmental sustainability, green capitalism still fails to address the contradiction between labor and capital. Therefore, any progressive strategy for social transformation must link the fair treatment of nature and labor together.

Download Full-text

ICT Development and Sustainable Energy Consumption: A Perspective of Energy Productivity

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su10072568 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 10 (7) ◽

pp. 2568 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Zheming Yan ◽

Rui Shi ◽

Zhiming Yang

Keyword(s):

Energy Consumption ◽

Energy Use ◽

Sustainable Energy ◽

General Purpose ◽

Productivity Index ◽

Net Energy ◽

Energy Productivity ◽

Productivity Improvement ◽

Ict Development ◽

Saving Effect

The information and communication technology (ICT) is closely related to the future of global energy consumption, not only because the ICT equipment itself increasingly consumes energy, but also because it is a general-purpose technology which may affect energy use of almost all sectors. Given the controversy over the net energy-saving effect of ICT, this paper focuses on a new perspective, i.e., energy productivity, to investigate the relationship between ICT development and energy consumption. Using a data panel of 50 economies over the period of 1995 to 2013, results of the Malmquist energy productivity index generally indicate an unbalanced development of energy productivity across the globe, while results of the patent-based ICT knowledge stock indicate a huge gap of ICT development comparing the high-income economies with the others. Furthermore, regression results indicate that ICT development is significantly related to energy productivity improvement. Finally, this paper suggests accelerating ICT development in underdeveloped economies, given the global common task of sustainable energy consumption.

Download Full-text

Going green to stay in the black: transnational capitalism and renewable energy

Race & Class ◽

10.1177/0306396810377009 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 52 (2) ◽

pp. 62-78 ◽

Cited By ~ 12

Author(s):

Jerry Harris

Keyword(s):

Renewable Energy ◽

Wind Energy ◽

Environmental Sustainability ◽

Social Transformation ◽

Energy Use ◽

Sustainable Energy ◽

Political Rhetoric ◽

Fair Treatment ◽

Green Capitalism ◽

Global Patterns

Sustainable energy use is rapidly developing, often accompanied by state support and patriotic political rhetoric. But the solar and wind energy industries are highly transnationalised and already inserted into global patterns of accumulation. This article argues that, while possibly resolving some of the most pressing conflicts between capitalism and environmental sustainability, green capitalism nevertheless fails to address the contradiction between labour and capital. Therefore, any progressive strategy for social transformation must link together the fair treatment of both nature and labour.

Download Full-text

A Preliminary Assessment of Energy Consumption Behaviour Pattern and Factors Influence Among Malaysian Higher Education Institutions Students

Jurnal Teknologi ◽

10.11113/jt.v74.4524 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 74 (2) ◽

Author(s):

Mohd Hafizal Ishak ◽

Ibrahim Sipan ◽

Abdul Hamid Mar Iman ◽

Maimunah Sapri

Keyword(s):

Higher Education ◽

Energy Consumption ◽

Energy Management ◽

Energy Use ◽

Higher Education Institutions ◽

Influence Factors ◽

Behaviour Pattern ◽

Preliminary Assessment ◽

Consumption Behaviour ◽

Energy Consumption Patterns

Towards sustainable campus of higher education institutions (HEIs), energy consumption behaviour is one of the several matters that require attention by the facilities manager. Information on energy consumption behaviour helps on developing a good strategy for energy management. The purpose of this study is to assess energy consumption behaviour among Malaysian HEIs student. This study has an objective to determine energy consumption patterns and analyse the factors that influence the pattern. The 'energy culture' framework consolidated with 'centrographic' approach and econometric analysis used to strengthen the findings. A self-administrated survey carried out involving 158 respondents in Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Johor. There are three types of energy use among students in HEIs namely, 'high', 'low', and 'conserve'. The 'device', 'activities' and 'building regulation' are the influence factors on the pattern of energy use.

Download Full-text

Mapping Evidence on Global Perceptions of Environmental Sustainability amidst the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Systematic Review Protocol

10.21203/rs.3.rs-148450/v1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

PETER ANSU-MENSAH ◽

Monica Ansu-Mensah ◽

Desmond Kuupiel

Keyword(s):

Scoping Review ◽

Environmental Sustainability ◽

Data Extraction ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

World Health ◽

Future Research ◽

Regulatory Bodies ◽

Review Protocol ◽

Government Websites ◽

Health Organization

Abstract Background: Identifying and addressing research gaps on environmental sustainability in this striving time of COVID-19, it is imperative to ensure proper waste management disposal, efficient use of energy as well as judicious use of transport in order to achieve the SDGs 2030.Aim: The proposed scoping review is aimed at mapping evidence on global perceptions of environmental sustainability amidst COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: The proposed study will be guided by the enhanced version of Arksey and O’Malley’s scoping review framework, and Levac et al. 2010 recommendations together with the 2015 Joanna Briggs Institute guidelines. A comprehensive keywords search for relevant studies presenting evidence of environmental sustainability during COVID-19 pandemic will be conducted with the following databases: SCOPUS, Google Scholar, EBSCOhost, and PubMed. Literature from university repositories and international organization such as the World Health Organization (WHO) and government websites relevant to the proposed study will also be retrieved. The proposed review will use the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analysis: Extension for Scoping Review (PRISMA-ScR) to present the results of the study. For data extraction in a content thematic manner of analysis, NVivo version 11 software package will be used. A mixed methods appraisal tool (MMAT) version 2018 will be employed to appraise the quality of all the included studies. Discussion: We are hopeful that the results of the proposed study will inform future research and unveil evidence-based information to report potential environmental sustainability issues that may arise in this new phase of COVID-19 pandemic. It also anticipated that the proposed study will enable policy and regulatory bodies to implement new strategies to achieve the SDGs inclusive of COVID-19 pandemic.

Download Full-text

Energy Consumption in Public Buildings: The Determinants of Occupants’ Behavior

Energies ◽

10.3390/en13143586 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 13 (14) ◽

pp. 3586

Author(s):

Akvile Cibinskiene ◽

Daiva Dumciuviene ◽

Meda Andrijauskiene

Keyword(s):

Energy Consumption ◽

Energy Use ◽

New Technologies ◽

Sustainable Energy ◽

Environmental Issues ◽

Public Buildings ◽

Personal Norms ◽

Daily Behavior ◽

Scientific Papers ◽

Female Employees

Considering the critical amount of power consumption in public buildings, sustainable energy use in the workplace can present an opportunity to tackle the worldwide problem of climate change. A systematic literature review revealed that, though the majority of scientific papers emphasize the importance of appliances and new technologies, human behavior in this area is not less significant. It can contribute to the reduction of energy use and CO2 emissions and address a number of environmental issues. The main purpose of this work is to analyze and compare the research performed on the topic of the determinants of sustainable energy consumption and investigate their impacts on the behavior of employees in three public buildings in Greece. The questionnaire survey discloses that, despite the organizations paying the bill, the employees believe that saving energy at work is important. The results also show that female employees feel more responsible for energy problems, such as the exhaustion of energy sources or global warming. Finally, a regression analysis affirms that the willingness to save a substantial amount of energy at the workplace is greater when employees have higher personal norms, that is, they feel morally obliged to consider the environment and nature in their daily behavior.

Download Full-text

Systematic Review of Dietary Patterns and Sustainability in the United States

Advances in Nutrition ◽

10.1093/advances/nmaa026 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 11 (4) ◽

pp. 1016-1031 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Sarah L Reinhardt ◽

Rebecca Boehm ◽

Nicole Tichenor Blackstone ◽

Naglaa H El-Abbadi ◽

Joy S McNally Brandow ◽

...

Keyword(s):

United States ◽

Dietary Patterns ◽

Environmental Sustainability ◽

Energy Use ◽

Food System ◽

Agricultural Practices ◽

The United States ◽

Dietary Guidelines ◽

Rapid Expansion ◽

Inclusion Criteria

ABSTRACT Improving awareness and accessibility of healthy diets are key challenges for health professionals and policymakers alike. While the US government has been assessing and encouraging nutritious diets via the Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA) since 1980, the long-term sustainability, and thus availability, of those diets has received less attention. The 2015 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee (DGAC) examined the evidence on sustainable diets for the first time, but this topic was not included within the scope of work for the 2020 DGAC. The objective of this study was to systematically review the evidence on US dietary patterns and sustainability outcomes published from 2015 to 2019 replicating the 2015 DGAC methodology. The 22 studies meeting inclusion criteria reveal a rapid expansion of research on US dietary patterns and sustainability, including 8 studies comparing the sustainability of DGA-compliant dietary patterns with current US diets. Our results challenge prior findings that diets adhering to national dietary guidelines are more sustainable than current average diets and indicate that the Healthy US-style dietary pattern recommended by the DGA may lead to similar or increased greenhouse gas emissions, energy use, and water use compared with the current US diet. However, consistent with previous research, studies meeting inclusion criteria generally support the conclusion that, among healthy dietary patterns, those higher in plant-based foods and lower in animal-based foods would be beneficial for environmental sustainability. Additional research is needed to further evaluate ways to improve food system sustainability through both dietary shifts and agricultural practices in the United States.

Download Full-text

Determinants of Energy Saving: Evidence from a Vocational School in Greece

Energies ◽

10.3390/en12193647 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 12 (19) ◽

pp. 3647 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Daiva Dumciuviene ◽

Akvile Cibinskiene ◽

Meda Andrijauskiene

Keyword(s):

Energy Consumption ◽

Energy Saving ◽

Energy Use ◽

Residential Buildings ◽

Sustainable Energy ◽

Theoretical Background ◽

Vocational School ◽

School Buildings ◽

Saving Behavior ◽

Important People

For this paper, the authors theoretically analyzed the determinants of energy saving and sustainable energy consumption in schools. Much research exists on energy-saving behavior in residential buildings. However, there is a lack of focus on public buildings and schools. A systematic literature review was conducted in order to construct the theoretical background for the research of school buildings, which are substantially less investigated. The determinants of sustainable energy use in schools were grouped together into three groups: (i) psychological and social, (ii) sociodemographic and economic, and (iii) contextual. The influence of these determinants on energy consumption was investigated empirically by conducting a questionnaire survey in a vocational school in Greece. The results reveal that the intention to save a substantial amount of energy in a vocational school in Greece is greater when students feel morally obliged to consider the environment and nature, believe that it is in their power to avoid unnecessary power consumption, and are positively influenced by teachers, classmates, and other important people in their lives.

Download Full-text