Friday
November 12
2021

Analysis: Global Energy Targets Don’t Deal With People’s Real Problems in Zimbabwe

By Ellen Fungisai Chipango

Thirty years ago, ending energy poverty wasn’t among the world’s development goals. Neither the 1992 Rio Declaration on Environment and Development nor the Millennium Development Goals 2000–2015 placed it on the agenda.

That has since changed. Goal 7 of the sustainable development goals (SDGs) is “universal access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy services” by 2030. But the strategy for tackling energy poverty favors growth of energy generation. That is, increase in renewable share and improvement in energy efficiency—a line of reasoning which positions energy poverty as a problem of production.

In other words, the thinking is that if more energy is produced, more people will have access to sustainable modern energy services and products.

Photo courtesy of David Brazier / IWMI.

Source: Tech Xplore (link opens in a new window)

Categories
Energy, Technology
Tags
energy access, renewable energy, SDGs