Energy Poverty

It is extraordinary that in 2012 nearly 7 in 10 people living in sub-Saharan Africa do not have access to electricity or modern energy sources.

The majority of these people have to heat their homes and cook on open fires, using traditional fuels like wood.  The smoke and fumes produced from these traditional energy sources contributes to nearly two million deaths every year across the world, mainly affecting women and children.

It also means that huge swathes of people have no evening light, limited access to modern communications and inadequate education and health facilities, which are all vital for reducing poverty.

There is a way to change this. Countries like Thailand have shown how it can be done, increasing the share of the population with access to electricity from 25% to almost 100% in just over a decade.

The same can be done in Africa, but unless we urgently change direction, 645 million people in sub-Saharan Africa will still not have electricity in 2030.

ONE is calling on world leaders to pledge their support to the goals of the UN Sustainable Energy for All initiative as a first step towards achieving modern energy access for all by 2030, helping the poorest people in the world escape poverty.