Researches On Choice And Influence Of Household Cooking Fuel In Rural Areas

Widespread use of solid fuels and traditional stoves, as the main manifestations of energy poverty, has become one of the major challenges the majority of developing countries, including China, face today. The impact of solid fuel use on health and the development of society and economy and many other aspects is of research category of interdisciplinary research, and that also is an important research field in the management of sustainable development and energy technique economy. Health risks caused by the use of solid fuel has been highly concerned by the international organization, the various countries'government and the academic circles in nearly two decades. Internal scholars study of the issue has been relatively more comprehensive and in-depth. In recent years, foreign researchers further explore the effects of energy poverty on social and economic development dimension such as child education, woman employment and labor productivity. However, domestic research in the area is basically still in its initial stage, the vast majority of the relevant literatures are still confined to the present situation research and the analysis of energy poverty and solid fuel sue. Therefore it is urgently needed to do carrying out in-depth study and exploration on it.Based on large sample survey data from the China Health and Nutrition Survey (CHNS), this thesis, first of all, has analyzed analyzed solid fuel used by rural hosueholds in China for cooking purposes and its its changes over the past 20 years (1989-2011); Then, based on Multivariate Logit (M.L.) Model (Ordered Logit (O.L) Model and Generalized Ordered Logit (G.O.L.) Model), we make a comprehensive analysis of the factors (including family socio-economic status, the culture factors and external factors) influencing rural household cooking fuel choice and their action mechanism; Finally, by using the Probit Model, this thesis has evaluated quantitatively the socio-economic impacts of the use of traditional biomass for cooking from the perspective of child development.This thesis concludes that:1. Although the overall development trend of rural household cooking energy is diversification and clean, the degree of dependency of rural households on solid fuels remains high; 2. That policies and interventions that raise farmers' income, increase farmers educational level and rural non-agricultural employment, improve the residents' housing conditions and strengthen infrastructure construction are of great significance in encouraging the adoption of clean cooking fuel; 3. Fuel subsidies can effectively reduce the dependency of rural households on non-commercial energy resources (mainly traditional biomass); 4. Schoolchildren from households primarily using biomass for cooking are less likely to participate in extracurricular intellectual activities (EIAs.) compared with those from households primarily using non-biomass energy, and using biomass have a greater negative impact on schoolgirls than schoolboys with respect to EIA participation. Considering these activities can improve schoolchildren's academic performance and even improve their problem-solving capability, an intensive study on this issue has great realistic significance to the improvement of rural children's comprehensive abilities.