UN calls for electricity for all
Energy supplies are seen as key in helping to ease poverty
The United Nations has published an ambitious roadmap calling on countries to ensure all people have access to electricity by 2030. This is seen as a key driver in the elimination of poverty and the improvement of health.
However the report is also keen to ensure that this does not put at risk lowering carbon emissions and it also calls for a 40% improvement in ratio of electric consumption against economic activity, or energy intensity.
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Nearly half the world’s population still use wood or similar fuel for cooking and heating. The smoke this creates causes severe breathing difficulties and early death so using electricity would eliminate many health problems.
Reliable energy supplies are also seen as a key factor in helping developing countries lift their populations out of chronic poverty and meet the Millenium Development Goals on poverty.
Ban Ki-moon, United Nations Secretary-General, said: “We need to urgently transform the global energy system. The decisions we make today on energy will have a profound impact on the global climate, on sustainable development, on economic growth, and global security."
