While electricity plays an important role in our lives, millions around the world still lack access to power grids. According to a new report from UNICEF, investing in clean and reliable energy is not only beneficial from an economic point of view but also promises to save thousands of lives in Pakistan and Tanzania among other countries.
Energy plays a crucial role when it comes to delivering quality healthcare and education which together ensure a healthy childhood and productive life. However, in 2023, about 745 million people, including children and vulnerable communities, had no basic access to electricity, while 3.5 billion had no reliable power, UNICEF’s Powering Progress report highlighted. Overall, more than 80% of people who lacked access to electricity resided in sub-Saharan Africa, while 15% lived in emerging Asian countries.
Fig.1. Number of people who have no access to electricity by region, 2023, million
Source: The Economist
Between 2015 and 2022, over one billion people lived in countries where healthcare systems had no access to electricity or only had access to non-reliable power grids. In 2023, 186 million children globally went to schools that had no access to a power grid.
The region with the highest number of healthcare facilities that lack access to electricity is sub-Saharan Africa which also has the least number of schools with access to electricity.
Fig.2. Healthcare facilities with no access to electricity by region, 2015 – 2022, %
Source: The Economist
Another study from UNICEF pointed out that improved access to reliable energy in healthcare facilities could prevent almost 111,000 deaths in Tanzania. In addition to better immunization rates and a lower disease burden, this could add an estimated US$360 million to Tanzania’s economy by 2044.
The same study noted that developing resilient energy systems to maintain the power supply to health facilities in Pakistan could prevent over 175,000 deaths in the country by 2030. This is particularly important as Pakistan is currently experiencing heatwaves that put additional pressure on an already stressed healthcare system.
The Powering Progress report suggests a contribution of US$296 million to Pakistan’s economy by 2044 would reduce infant and adult mortality and lower the disease burden commenting that this would bring significant improvements and the returns from investment could reach up to triple the initial contribution.
Abdullah Fadil, UNICEF’s representative in Pakistan, commenting on the outcomes of the report emphasized the importance of energy resilience.
He said: “Children depend on schools, health centres and safe drinking water for their survival, yet these facilities often don’t have the electricity supply to function optimally. As the current heatwave grips the country, electricity needs have skyrocketed leading to shortfalls that can endanger children’s health.”
The lack of reliable energy also affects the daily life of students and teachers, reducing the quality of education. Despite this, nearly 200 million children still attend schools that have no electricity. The analysis suggests that by 2040, by electrifying their schools Pakistan and Tanzania could boost their economies by approximately US$2.3 billion and US$500 million respectively as a result of lower dropout rates and the increased future earning potential of students.
In general, resilient energy refers to a reliable, flexible, accessible, and good-quality power supply that is able to resist and recover quickly from unexpected shocks, for instance, such as floods. Therefore, the report particularly emphasises the importance of investing in strong, eco-friendly energy sources for healthcare, education, and safe water in emerging countries. It states that these solutions are the most efficient and cost-effective ways to deal with energy shortages caused by the climate crisis.
Overall, the report suggests that the cost of providing reliable energy to the healthcare, education, and water sectors is relatively low compared to the substantial benefits. Angela Homsi, founder of Ignite Power, highlights that the cost of ensuring universal access to resilient electricity in the global South is much lower than is commonly believed.
She stated, “for a few tens of dollars, you can get a family equipped with solar. For just a few dollars, you can get a school of children connected with electricity and internet access.”
A UNCTAD report has suggested that developing countries must increase their renewable energy investments to around US$1.7 trillion annually from the current US$544 billion to meet the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) by 2030 and improve their energy resilience. However, due to limited public funds in these economies, higher investments from the private sector will be essential together with policies and initiatives that encourage the use of renewable energy.
