The Energy Poverty Challenge
How are you reading this right now? On a computer I expect – perhaps you are sitting in an office or library with the lights on?
Now imagine if the power went out… No power would make it a tricky to read this wouldn’t it? No power means: no computer, no power to charge your mobile phone, no email, no working fridge, no electric kettle, no evening light…
Now imagine the power went out everywhere… homes, offices, street lights, factories, train stations, banks and ATM machines… even hospitals… for 6 months!
How are you going to live? How will you store and cook your food? What happens if you get ill? Would you still be able to do your job? How could you earn a living and provide for your family in this world without power?
Luckily this is not something that many of us in rich countries need to worry about. But having access to energy is central to almost everything we do.
Energy literally powers our lives.
However not everyone has access to the energy services you or I might take for granted.
Did you know that in 2012 nearly 7 in 10 people living in sub-Saharan Africa do not have access to electricity or modern energy sources? That the majority of people in sub-Saharan Africa have to heat their homes and cook on open fires?
Due to a lack of access to clean, safe, affordable and reliable energy these people have no decent evening light, limited access to modern communications and inadequate education and health facilities.
This energy poverty in sub-Saharan Africa is limiting poverty reduction, job creation and economic growth. A lack of access to energy stifles people’s potential and their ability to earn a living.
It’s a problem that ONE feels passionately about solving. But we need your help to do that…
In fact Michael Elliot, ONE’s CEO, is challenging you to help us.
At the Fortune Green Brainstorm event in California last month Michael delivered a speech to some of the US’s best technical minds explaining the problem and setting out the challenge.
So now the challenge is open to you!
In the International Year of Sustainable Energy for All, and with governments, civil society and the private sector planning to make commitments towards UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon’s Sustainable Energy for All Initiative to mobilize global action to achieve universal energy access at Rio+20, ONE asks you:
After placing your vote don’t forget that these aren’t the only ideas. Feel free to use the comments page below to make further suggestions and follow the conversation on Twitter via the #MyEnergyIdea and #energy4all hashtags.
We need your help to tackle the energy poverty challenge and to help governments provide energy access to the billions of people who do not yet have it.
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About the Blog
The International ONE Blog is a daily log of the anti-poverty movement. The site is operated by ONE staff, with guest contributions from ONE volunteers, members and allies.
The content of each post and each comment represents the views of that author and does not necessarily reflect the views of ONE. ONE does not support or oppose any candidate for elected office, and any post expressing support or opposition for a candidate is not endorsed by ONE.
14/05/2012 at 4:49 pm
Globalization? Shouldn’t this include ALL countries, rich or poor? Extracting energy sources (fossil fuel) by big oil from poor countries and giving to rich countries is disgusting. We need globalized robin hoods.
14/05/2012 at 4:52 pm
I don’t see any place to leave a vote. But great article – thanks for reminding me again to be grateful for those things I take for granted and often overuse.
14/05/2012 at 4:55 pm
How many sub-Saharan Africa have HIV??, they have not even chance to live, how they can care about power??
14/05/2012 at 5:08 pm
Hi – if you can’t see the poll the direct link is here: http://poll.fm/3pfvn
14/05/2012 at 5:18 pm
Os paises mais ricos do mundo devem apoiar os paises mais pobres do mundo
14/05/2012 at 6:08 pm
Get energy to the people who don’t have it! Are we still in the middle ages?
14/05/2012 at 7:56 pm
Credo che l’applicazione coerente delle politiche pubbliche nelle relazioni tra grandi potenze e piccoli paesi insieme per esplorare le nuove tecnologie sostenibili, può essere positivo per l’umanità.
15/05/2012 at 11:44 am
Considering the biggest user of fossil fuels and non-green energy is the United States, I think a combination of education and private companies giving those in affluent countries the incentive to change to greener energy, together with providing energy to those in poorer countries who do not have it is both needed. If we all don’t change our ways, there will be some countries that just disappear into the sea. It is not just down to those who suffer to get education and change, we all need it!! I’m in the UK and we still need to do more in relation to renewable energy sources…
18/05/2012 at 4:50 pm
I left a comment on one of your posts yesterday, it ws a great idea that would help elimiate world hunger, can you please tell me why you chose to delete it?
23/05/2012 at 1:12 pm
Tom, good article. What I have to say is that the energy needs of the poor are clear and are urgent, the solutions are known. To make energy access for all 2030 possible, the rethoric has to change for action, especially the very high level rethoric, I am attaching a blog realted to this subject.
http://practicalaction.org/blog/access-to-services/energy/energy-access/