The first United Nations Climate Summit took place in New York on the 23rd September this year. For many reasons, this summit was the first of its kind and of great importance. Global warming and sustainable development were the main concerns, and they will define the way our society works and the future of society itself in the years to come. What you hear less of, is the 3 billion people who still use solid fuels to cook or heat their homes and the 1.6 billion people who don’t even have access to a single energy source. 600 million of these people live in Sub-Saharan Africa, where only 15% of the overall population has access to electricity. For example, in Nigeria 50% of the population do not have access to electricity. In Tanzania it is 85% and in Liberia this figure reaches 99.5%. Similarly, this phenomenon also gravely affects Asia, where only 40% have access to electricity.
Energy poverty can be defined as a lack of access to modern energy sources to satisfy our lighting, heating and cooking needs. The two indicators of energy poverty are the lack of access to electricity and the use of traditional energy sources to cook. We also have to realise that this shortage of energy goes beyond people’s daily needs; it affects schools, businesses and even hospitals and health centres.
Unfortunately, those most vulnerable to this poverty are children. As a result, many of their rights cannot be respected and so only international efforts can liberate them from this poverty cycle by giving them the right to modern energy sources. According to the World Health Organisation, 4 million people die each year as a result of diseases caused by using solid fuels (e.g. coal) to cook inside the home. 50% of deaths in children under 5-years-old are caused by these diseases.
The Millennium Development Goals aim to create a better world that respects everyone’s rights by helping them to break free from extreme poverty. Each of these goals is a step closer to being fulfilled for children all over the world, above all for those living in difficult areas, but the shortage of electricity is a leap backwards. The International Energy Agency carried out a study on the impacts of electricity on these objectives. We have added the impacts that these have on children in particular:
Goal 1 – Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger
Access to a modern energy source would allow families to improve their agricultural productivity, or even to set up income-generating activities. Poverty is the main reason that children’s right are not respected, so by eradicating poverty we would be giving these children opportunities that they never had before, such as education, health, or simply having fun.
Goals 2 and 3 – Achieve universal primaryeducation and promote gender equality
Millions of children, in particular girls, spend hours every day fetching wood for the fire and carrying out household chores. Access to modern energy sources would reduce this time, giving them the chance to spend more time at school. Access to modern energy sources would also improve their performance, if only simply by allowing them to do their homework when they get home in the evening. Installing street lamps would also be a huge step towards keeping these girls safe.
Goals 4, 5 and 6 – Reduce child and maternal mortality, and combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis
Modern energy sources can improve the quality of food children eat and help boil water more quickly in order to kill bacteria. They can also reduce the risk of respiratory infection caused by traditional energy sources like coal. Around 30% of health centres in Sub-Saharan Africa do not have electricity, but if they did, they could be much more effective. For example, they could have refrigerators to store vaccines and medicines for longer or they could have patients at night in the best possible conditions.
Today, the most populous continent is Asia, and in the years to come, Africa’s population explosion will reach its peak. According to UNICEF, 3 in 5 children will be African by 2050. Energy requirements will increase on both continents but, unfortunately, it is also in these continents where extreme poverty is most chronic. There are solutions for these children, and debates about climatemust not be restricted to the problems these countries face, but also see their potential. Providing energy sources today, prioritising those which are clean and renewable, is not just a question of respecting children’s rights, but also what is best for the planet and a sustainable economic investment for these countries.
Antoine de St-Exupéry said “We do not inherit the Earth from our parents; we borrow it from our children”. Debates on sustainable development must be equally focused on reducing our energy consumption and on giving millions of other people access to energy to make sure we give these children the world they deserve.
Sources:
“Energy Poverty : The Hidden energy crisis”, Practical Action , February 2009
“Seven graphics to explain energy poverty and how US can do more”, Todd Moss, Madeleine Gleave, Center for Global Development, March 2014
“Energy Poverty, how to make modern energy access universal?”, OECD/IEA, 2010
“Multiplicité des liens entre l’énergie utilisée par les ménages et les objectifs du Millénaire pour le développement “, site internet de l’Organisation Mondiale de la Santé, http://www.who.int/indoorair/mdg/energymdg/fr/
Written by: Aina Andremanisa Translated by: Garen Gent-Randall Proofread by :Clare Sharman |
