The human development and energy use are intrinsically linked: energy is development, because without energy to fuel industry and support business hospitals and schools, there can be no economic or social progress. With this in mind, it is of concern that a large part of the global population is still without access to basic sources of energy and close to 2 billion people lack electricity.
Therefore, according to me the mountainous energy security challenge that should be prioritized in this world is ; ENERGY POVERTY :the Hidden energy crisis. Energy poverty is a lack of access to modern energy services. These services are defined as household access to electricity and clean cooking facilities (e.g. fuels and stoves that do not cause air pollution in houses). It refers to the situation of large numbers of people in developing countries whose well-being is negatively affected by very low consumption of energy, use of dirty or polluting fuels, and excessive time spent collecting fuel to meet basic needs. It is inversely related to access to modern energy services, although improving access is only one factor in efforts to reduce energy poverty.
The hidden crisis of energy poverty condemns billions of men, women and children in the developing world to continue to live in absolute poverty because they have no access to modern energy services; energy which is taken for granted in the developed world at the flick of a switch or the press of a button. Over 1.6 billion people – almost one third of humanity – have no electricity. This means they have no light in the evening, limited access to radio and modern communications, inadequate education and health facilities, and not enough power for their work and businesses.
Worldwide, more than 3 billion people depend on dirty, harmful solid fuels to meet their most basic energy need, cooking. 2.5 billion cook with biomass (i.e. wood, dung and agricultural residues) and over half a billion cook with coal.
The international community recognizes a number of basic rights: the right to water, the right to food, the right to health, the right to adequate housing, the right to gain a living by work and the right to take part in cultural life. Missing from this list is the right to energy. Yet, everyone needs energy to cook food, to heat the home, to earn a living, to benefit from good health and education services. Energy poverty denies people a basic standard of living which should be available for all.
Thus, we all should look forward to eradicate this issue of ENERGY POVERTY and It’s Time To Flip The Switch On Energy Poverty.
Image Source :
http://cdn.downtoearth.org.in/dte/userfiles/images/energy-poverty.jpg
