Clean Energy is Essential for Sustainable Development for Vulnerable Children

By Dr. Salmon Jacob, Regional Climate Change Adaptation Advisor for World Vision East Asia

Energy, as we know, is the driving force for all development. But, as climate change becomes an existential threat to every person on the planet, especially the most vulnerable children and their communities, it is critical to recognise the need for clean energy as a means to tackle the issue of rising concentrations of greenhouse gas in the atmosphere that is a major contributor to climate crisis.

The quest for addressing the climate crisis often leads to discussions on global policies, international agreements, industrial reforms, and technological advancements in urban initiatives. However, an equally critical and often overlooked front is the issue of access to clean energy to the rural and marginalised communities in developing and least developed countries in tackling the climate crisis.

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Working as World Vision’s Regional Climate Change Adaptation Advisor in East Asia, I have seen the limitations and hardships of small / marginal farmers, mothers struggling to access basic health care, diminishing rural entrepreneurship, poor educational facilities, communication facilities, hardships of women etc. due to no access or limited access to clean energy; thereby impacting their overall wellbeing.

According to a UNICEF report (2022), about 644 million children and adolescents under age 18 are affected by multidimensional poverty globally. However, affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy can aid in advancing development goals and reducing multidimensional poverty along with reducing emissions that contribute to the climate crisis.

I have realised that the question that we need to ponder deeply on is how successful have we been in ensuring this access to clean energy for all? Globally, in 2021, 675 million people remain unconnected to grids and 2.3 billion continue to rely on unsafe and polluting fuels for cooking. In Asia & the Pacific in 2023, a staggering 350 million people lack access to adequate electricity, and another 133 million have no electricity whatsoever3.

The other big challenge is the heavy dependence on coal in the region. Asia Pacific is among the regions having the highest regional carbon dioxide intensity for electricity generation in the world. Similarly many of the East Asian countries have a significant dependence on solid fuels for household cooking and energy needs in varying proportions – particularly in the rural communities.

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Assisting Vulnerable Children

1 A brighter life for every child with sustainable energy.pdf (unicef.org)
2 The Sustainable Development Goals Report 2023
3 https://www.adb.org/news/features/qa-meeting-asia-and-pacifics-growing-electricity-needs.

Globally, as much as 25% of black carbon emissions come from household cooking, heating, and lighting; while in many Asian countries, household cooking can account for as much as 60%-80% of black carbon emissions4.

Household air pollution from these traditional cooking methods causes almost 4 million premature deaths annually worldwide5, with significant impacts in East Asia. According to the UNICEF report, 460 million children are highly exposed to air pollution in East Asia and Pacific region, making them vulnerable to various respiratory illnesses –particularly children under five years old6. Indoor air pollution from burning biomass, not only poses severe health risks, but also contributes to deforestation and environmental degradation.

The region is also marked by stark contrasts, where on the one hand, cities like Beijing and Bangkok are at the forefront of technological advancement, while millions of people in rural and peri-urban areas still lack reliable access to energy. This disparity is not just an issue of convenience but one of ensuring health, education, and economic development for all.

So, what are the available solutions? The essence of the solution needs to be easy access and affordability of clean energy. A partnership approach involving governments, development organisations, funding agencies and technical organisations will enable the creation of an ecosystem that ensures the preconditions of easy access and affordability.

In Vietnam, for example, World Vision has been instrumental in providing solar energy access to rural communities – particularly for home lighting, schools, street lighting, irrigation, lighting of common spaces in villages etc. which has benefitted about 150,000 people (including children) in recent years, helping them on the path to development.

Similar solar energy interventions have been implemented in other East Asian countries as well. World Vision in Mongolia supported vulnerable communities with getting access to solar energy for their lighting, heating and other household electrical needs, enabling them to switch from coal to a cleaner energy source. World Vision is also promoting biogas and fuel efficient cookstoves in other East Asian countries.

We also have huge opportunities to promote micro-hydro power systems, induction cooking systems, Liquid Petroleum Gas (LPG) etc to enable access to cleaner energy sources. The success essentially depends on the aspects of easy access and affordability.

Clean Energy

The benefits of ensuring the access and switching to clean energy for these communities is not only limited to addressing the climate issue or environmental degradation, but much more towards the overall development of the communities and its children. It would mean enabling an environment for children’s education, opportunities for economic growth, support women’s empowerment, facilitate in

4 Climate & Environment | Clean Cooking Alliance
5 The surprising dangers of cooking and cleaning (bbc.com)
6 UNICEF Report, Over the Tipping Point, May 2023; https://www.unicef.org/eap/media/13501/file/Over%20the%20tipping%20point_report.pdf

nurturing a healthy natural environment for all, reduce the vulnerability of children to various childhood illnesses, and enable better access to health care facilities, to name a few. It creates a favourable environment for children to thrive and develop to their full potential.

Sustainable Development

Governments in East Asia recognise the value of grassroots energy solutions in broader climate change mitigation strategies, which is evident through the various initiatives / programmes formulated in this direction in recent years, however, there is an urgent need for greater focus in this direction.

Investments in infrastructure supporting clean energy distribution and grid integration is vital to expand the electricity grid to remote areas and also in developing off-grid clean energy solutions where grid extension is not feasible. It is also essential to create a regulatory environment encouraging innovation and investments in clean energy solutions – including clear guidelines for carbon credit mechanisms.

There is opportunity for collaborative efforts jointly with the respective governments, development organisations, as well as funding agencies, to work together in finding solutions to ensure access to clean energy for all – particularly the vulnerable and marginalised communities. Integrating clean energy solutions at the grassroots level in East Asia, not only empowers communities, but also contributes to a healthier planet for our children and the future generations.

Click to read more about our Safe Mobility Through Renewable Energy – Special Projects, in Viet Nam:https://wvi.org.vn/special-projects/safe-mobility-through-renewable-energy- ene65.html

Click to learn more about our Solar Green House project in Mongolia