Standard of living in developing countries lags behind economic growth: Austrian study

Despite a trend toward economic growth in developing countries and a subsequent increase in average incomes, the poorest people often do not see a benefit from this, an Austrian study has shown.

The study, carried out by a team from the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA) based in Laxenburg near Vienna found that access to basic amenities such as electricity, sanitation, water, and clean cooking energy are still out of reach for many.

"What we found is that income growth alone isn't enough on its own to get these basic necessities to all people in society," study leader Narasimha Rao said in a statement.

In addition, access to clean cooking energy and sanitation often lags behind access to electricity and water, having a particular impact on women, who are often responsible for cooking and household work.

The study authors noted that some developing regions of the world, such as sub-Saharan Africa, would need unprecedented rates of improvement in order to meet the United Nations Sustainable Developing Goals (SDGs) that are targeted at achieving universal access to clean water, energy, and sanitation by the year 2030.

They also noted a need for policy directions, such as to target synergies between the development goals, and ways to combine efforts across sectors to build up infrastructure. Endit