Supporting sustainable human development in West African economic and monetary union (WAEMU) countries through renewable energy

Sustainable human development is the fundamental indicator of a nation’s prosperity, as it integrates both economic growth and social progress. Access to equitable and sustainable energy is an essential pillar for achieving this development. This access has a direct impact on improving people’s quality of life. Indeed, it significantly increases well-being, particularly in developing countries. However, research on this relationship is still scarce in developing countries. To fill this gap in the literature, this study focuses on analyzing the effects of renewable energy production and consumption on sustainable human development, as measured by the human development index, sustainable development index, gross domestic product per capita, life expectancy and gross primary school enrollment rate. The analyses were carried out on a panel of seven West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU) countries from 2007 to 2022. The results obtained using the panel-corrected standard error (PCSE) technique and Driscoll–Kraay method reveal that renewable energy has a positive and significant impact on sustainable human development. These results were robust when the two-stage least squares method with instrumental variables (IV-2SLS) was used to specifically correct the potential problem of endogeneity. These findings encourage decision makers to further promote renewable energy initiatives in West African Economic and Monetary Union countries. Governments should prioritize investment in cleaner renewable energy technologies to preserve the environment, stimulate economic development and ensure a sustainable energy supply, which is essential for sustainable human development.