Energy and Health

Over the years, energy consumption has proven to affect other aspects of life in the global community, one of which is health. Currently, 81 per cent of the energy systems worldwide still depend on fossil fuels despite the numerous consequences. This article will explore the relationship between the quality of energy and health.

The United Nations’ third Sustainable Development Goal (SDG3) is to ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages. Some of the goal’s 2030 targets include substantially reducing the number of deaths and illnesses from hazardous chemicals and air and ending preventable deaths of newborns and children under the age of five. However, what role does energy play in global ambitions for good health and well-being?

As earlier stated, most of the global community still depends on burning fossil fuels as a source of energy. However, this activity leads to effects such as air pollution and the release of greenhouse gases (GHG), which directly affect human health and contribute to climate change through global warming.

In developing countries particularly, dirty fuels such as coal, firewood and kerosene are quite prominent in households. These fuels are often used for cooking, heating and running petty businesses. According to a 2022 World Health Organisation (WHO) factsheet, about 2.4 billion people use open fires and stoves fuelled by coal, wood and kerosene, leading to a significant amount of household air pollution. This practice is more common in rural areas, especially regions not connected to national grid networks.

However, using such fuels for energy generation is known to significantly affect the health of these populations, especially women and children, since they are usually responsible for household chores. Globally, household air pollution is a major contributor to the increasing cases of diseases, such as stroke, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and lung cancer, among others.

The WHO has reported that in 2020, household air pollution was responsible for about 3.2 million deaths globally, with 237,000 being children under the age of five. However, the effects of using fossil fuels to generate energy are not restricted to households alone. According to the same WHO factsheet, the effects of ambient and household air pollution are responsible for 6.7 million deaths annually.

The relationship between energy and health can also be explored in the provisions for healthcare facilities. According to a United Nations (UN) report, one-eighth of the global population is served by health facilities that lack a reliable electricity supply. The report added that more than one in 10 South Asia and Sub-Saharan African healthcare facilities lack electricity access. Furthermore, the healthcare centres in rural areas are much worse in terms of energy access when compared to centres in urban areas.

According to the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), two out of three people living in extreme poverty dwell in rural areas, which is about 400 million people. This estimates that 67 per cent of the global population living in extreme poverty reside in rural areas. With these areas hardly ever connected to grid electricity, alternative energy sources may not efficiently run institutions like healthcare facilities. In addition, these alternative energy sources also contribute to worsening the well-being of these populations.

There is a direct relationship between energy and health at household, commercial and industrial levels. With the varying effects of burning fossil fuels on the health and well-being of populations, the global community must make a conscious effort towards developing clean and sustainable energy projects. In addition, according to the UN report, the clean electrification of healthcare facilities must be considered an utmost development priority.

With increasing technological advancement in renewable energy, decentralised energy solutions can now provide clean, reliable and cost-effective power for household and utility-scale use. When readily implemented by countries, these clean energy solutions will help the global community to achieve SDG3 and create sustainable economies.