Characterizing energy-poverty nexus in Brazil : historical context and future risks

Abstract

The use of modern energy sources by families is associated with several social benefits and several uses related to these sources. However, this access and its benefits are not yet enjoyed by the entire Brazilian population. One of the recent concerns about electrical use in homes is the use of equipment for thermal comfort. Extreme heat is related to several health problems, and climate change tends to intensify this heat in Brazil. Thus, from the development of three independent works, this thesis aims to discuss the relationship between access to energy, poverty and social development and climate. The first work presented relates access to electricity in rural communities with the sustainable development index (HDI). In the second study, energy poverty is measured in Brazil according to a multidimensional metric. The third paper presents the impacts on the electrical consumption at households, ceteris paribus, in a context of climate change scenarios. From these three analyses it was possible to observe that there are still many families in energy poverty in Brazil, especially in the North region. This situation could get even worse in the context of climate change.