Energy poverty: what is it? A household is poor in energy terms it is not capable of heating his home continuously and at a reasonable cost (GORDON, 2002). This definition is taken from the literature that used in studies in developed countries, particularly in Europe. In Cameroon, poverty Energy is defined as a lack of public access to energy services in quality and quantity
, reliable, efficient, sustainable and continuously
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While fuel poverty is measured in developed countries for households that have electricity, it is defined in Cameroon based on the lack of household access to this energy source. According to the latter, are considered poor in terms of energy, households without access to electricity. The first approach involves in turn the fuel poverty threshold, which corresponds to the amount of expenditure allocated to energy, below which a household will be considered non-poor in terms of energy. According to the official definition in force in the UK, are considered in energy poverty households who must use over 10% of their income to cover their energy expenditure (DEFRA and DTI, 2001).
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Two main elements used to define fuel poverty in a household: income and energy consumption (DUBOIS, 2007).
First, the inclusion of income in the definition of poverty used to represent it through a threshold or''poverty line'', which can be absolute or relative poverty line is defined by compared to the overall distribution of income or consumption in a country. The absolute poverty line is itself associated with some''absolute standards on items whose household must have to cover their basic needs (Coudouel et al., 2002). It is often based on estimates of the cost of certain commodities, such as the cost of a basket of goods nutrition.
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This approach is rarely used to define fuel poverty, although some studies employ, like the one conducted by Foster et al. (2000), which attempt to define a line of "fuel poverty" from household surveys in Guatemala. They use this data on energy consumption of households whose per capita expenditures fall within a band of 10% around the official poverty line. The definition used in the United Kingdom does not establish such a line are considered as living in fuel poverty are those who spend more than 10% of their income to cover their energy consumption.
The definition of fuel poverty could be represented on a graph like the one below, where all households located above the line are considered poor in terms of energy.
Fuel poverty therefore covers a different reality of poverty in general. In Indeed, some people may be poor but not in energy poverty, and conversely, there may be non-poor but are nonetheless experiencing fuel poverty. This type of poverty is only partly related to income, since it also stems from the importance of household energy consumption.
The level of energy consumption within the definition of energy poverty in the UK, since it relies on energy expenditure that consumers "should" do. First, some households may affect less than 10% of their income on energy when they should eat more to maintain the temperature of their housing at a sufficiently high level. These consumers are rationing their energy consumption and should therefore be included in populations living in fuel poverty.
Second, other consumers may spend more than 10% of their income on their energy consumption without "having to" make such expenditures. These consumers have a consumption of energy, which can have different origins such a waste, poor energy efficiency of their homes, etc.. Finally, define fuel poverty from the household budget devoted to energy expenditures raises the issue of energy poverty.
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What is the threshold energy poverty in Cameroon?
What are the determinants of energy poverty in Cameroon?
Reducing energy poverty can it reduce poverty?
To more information, refer to my dissertation (in progress)
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Coudouel, A. ; HENTSCHEL, JS and Wodon, QT (2002),''Measurement and analysis of poverty'', in: Klugman, J. (Ed.), Poverty Reduction Strategy Sourcebook, World Bank.
DEFRA and DTI (2001), The UK fuel poverty strategy, DTI, London
DUBOIS, U. (2007), ‘‘La pauvreté énergétique : quelles définitions ? Comment la mesurer ? ADIS - GRJM, Université de Paris Sud 11, Version préliminaire.
FOSTER, V., TRE, J. P. et WODON, Q. (2000) ‘‘Energy prices, energy efficiency, and fuel poverty’’, working paper, World Bank.
GORDON. D. (2002), ‘‘Predicting fuel poverty at small area level’’, Rapport, University of Bristol, Townsend Centre for International Poverty Research
[1] Définition tirée du Plan d’Action National Energy for Poverty Reduction (PANERP, 2005).
