Understanding Energy Poverty

Energy poverty is a significant global crisis affecting approximately 2.4 billion people who lack access to modern energy sources. In many regions, individuals are forced to spend substantial time collecting firewood, as seen in the story of Randa from Senegal, which highlights the harsh realities of those impacted. This crisis has serious health ramifications, with 3.2 million annual deaths attributed to indoor air pollution, heavily affecting women and children. The mainstream narrative often overlooks this issue, assuming that solutions focus solely on transitioning to cleaner energy without addressing the foundational need for energy access itself.