Carbon-intensive development and undernourishment in Africa: the role of non-hydro renewable energy in the climate–food security nexus

The study examines the relationship between carbon-intensive development, non-hydro renewable energy and undernourishment in 27 African countries between 2002 and 2021. The study focuses on whether non-hydro renewable electricity can reduce the link between greenhouse gas emissions and food insecurity in Africa. The analysis follows several stages. First, descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, panel unit-root tests and cointegration tests were conducted to evaluate the distributional properties, relationships, stationarity and long-term behavior of the variables under study. Secondly, a two-step System Generalized Method of Moments estimator was applied to a balanced panel of 540 observations in order to address the persistence of undernourishment, potential endogeneity, reverse causality and unobserved country-specific effects. Model reliability is then evaluated using Arellano–Bond serial correlation tests, Hansen and Sargan overidentification tests, and difference-in-Hansen tests of instrument exogeneity. The findings generally indicate that undernourishment is persistent and strongly influenced by structural, energy-related, demographic, environmental and economic factors. Dependence on fossil fuel-based electricity and continued population growth was associated with deteriorating food security outcomes, whereas the adoption of renewable energy and economic growth show potential to improve food security. The interaction term results between greenhouse gas emissions and renewable energy suggested that high carbon intensity may limit the food security benefits of expanding renewable energy. These findings emphasize the importance of integrated policies that accelerate decentralized investment in renewable energy, reduce dependence on fossil fuels and greenhouse gas emissions while strengthening climate-resilient agriculture and improving rural energy access. Lastly, coordinating energy, agricultural, climate, and population policies is essential for achieving sustainable development goals 2 and 7 in Africa.