Photo: Practical action
Humanity is still essentially reliant on fossil fuel energy, but as we all know the greenhouse gases (GHG) produced by that industry are having a devastating effect on our climate. International policy is still a long way off creating a framework for how the big polluting nations de-carbonise, but what about the 1.6 billion people who have no access to modern energy at all, and the 30% of the global population without electricity?
A growing demand
For the developing world, the question of energy provision is important because their populations are experiencing significant growth. The countries responsible for the vast majority of GHG production have relatively stable populations, and 7% of people generate around 50% of the world's human-induced GHGs.
Communities in developing nations have an opportunity to grow far more sustainably then their polluting counterparts. Organisations like Practical Action recognise and address these issues by working within developing communities to provide a wide range of training and eduction, as well as access to clean renewable technologies.
Photo: Practical Action
Social inclusion
The key to the success of programs that aim at providing sustainable futures in difficult circumstances is the empowerment of the individual. Independence from fossil fuel energy is a major step in giving communities a secure future, but in order to effectively reduce their vulnerability to climate change, it must run alongside projects to provide stable agriculture, clean water and sanitation.
You can add your voice to the call for clean energy access for all by signing Practical Action's petition, Make the Call, Energy for All. The campaign calls on the EC Commissioner to assign development budgets to universal energy access as a crucial contribution to poverty alleviation.
Sustainable futures
Solutions to the problems faced by the developing world must be practical, easily implementable and supported by experienced organisations. It's organisations like Practical Action that are providing this guidance and giving people in poor nations a secure future. By helping the growing population follow a sustainable framework, they are helping the developing world lead the way in addressing climate change.
Meanwhile, the industrial and predominantly western world are falling short of their targets and continue producing the vast majority of GHGs that are so harmful to our global climate. Big questions regarding equity regarding consumption need to be asked, and the solid grassroots work of innovative organisations like Practical Action mirrored by an international prerogative of clean energy.
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