Quality of Life Dependence on Energy Consumption: Intercountry Variations

Abstract

The unity and struggle of opposites in the context of quality of life determines the use of primary energy resources, whether fossil or alternative sources, which is related to the state of the environment. An effective policy for the sustainable development of mankind requires the consumption of large amounts of energy to make life dignified, and the strict limitation of the consumption of energy to protect the environment. Th e purpose of the article is to determine the dependence of the quality of life of the population on the consumption of primary energy resources in national economies. Th e novelty of the research lies in the comparison of the quality of life of the population in national economies with the consumption of primary energy resources; application of the indicator of lost years of healthy life as a measure of the quality of life of the population; introduction of concepts of density of lost years of healthy life and ecological density (the ratio of the national value of Footprint to the energy resources consumption). Research methods. Th e work is based on the use of the Global Disease Burden project methodology; comparative research, mathematical statistics (regression and cluster analysis); mathematical modelling. Th e uneven specific consumption of energy resources in national economies of different types is proved based on cluster analysis results, it is found that industrial countries consume more energy than countries with warm climates, but less than developed countries, high energy consumption reduces the number of lost years of active life, but greatly increases the size of ecological Footprint. Th e phenomenon of peninsulas in quality of life is demonstrated, the density of lost years of healthy life and ecological density in national economies in relation to primary energy consumption is analyzed, the significant non-linearity of dependencies is proved, and it is shown that meeting the requirements of sustainable development is impossible without deteriorating the quality of life of countries with population that consumes a lot of energy, but under the conditions of exponential characteristics of the development deterioration is unlikely to be catastrophic.

The Impact of Energy Consumption on the Three Pillars of Sustainable Development

“…The indicator is a linear sum of potential life years lost due to premature death and illness (suffering, temporary or permanent disability, inability to normal/habitual life). Using the DALY indicator as an integral characteristic of the social pillar of sustainable development, we proceed from the fact that, directly or indirectly, all factors that determine the social aspects of the development of society manifest themselves in the quality of life of the population of a given state, and ultimately, in the duration of the painless life of the members of this society [49].…”