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Global awareness of energy poverty on the increase.

Some quite interesting developments, I believe, are happening these days in relation to the global awareness of energy poverty and indoor pollution. This time including both the primitive way of cooking and kerosene use for lighting.

It is quite an achievement made possible by the contributions of so many.

As a matter of fact :

1. the MDGs (Millennium Development Goals) to 2015 completely neglected energy poverty.

1 Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger 2 Achieve universal primary education
3 Promote gender equality and empower women
4 Reduce child mortality
5 Improve maternal health
6 Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases
7 Ensure environmental sustainability
8 Develop a global partnership for development .

2. Unfortunately, also the recent UNDP National Human Development Report (NHDR) for Ethiopia - 2014 failed to incorporate the energy poverty affecting the vast majority here, let alone be part of the solution.

http://www.et.undp.org/content/ethiopia/en/home/presscenter/article...

https://www.facebook.com/UNDPinEthiopia?fref=ts

3. Luckily the newly draft SDGs post2015 energy poverty is this time included (Goal 7) .

Page 18 , Table 1. Sustainable development goals (post 2015) in : United Nations - The Road to Dignity by 2030: Ending Poverty, Transforming All Lives and Protecting the Planet Synthesis Report of the Secretary-General , On the Post-2015 Agenda - New York , December 2014 . http://www.un.org/.../SG_Synthesis_Report_Road_to_Dignity...

http://unsdsn.org/indicators.

4. POWER PEOPLE PLANET : Seizing Africa’s energy and climate opportuni...

The 2015 Africa Progress Report urges African governments to:

• Use the region’s natural gas to provide domestic energy as well as exports, while harnessing Africa’s vast untapped renewable energy potential.

• Cut corruption, make utility governance more transparent, strengthen regulations, and increase public spending on energy infrastructure.

• Redirect the US$21 billion spent on subsidies for loss-making utilities and electricity consumption – which benefit mainly the rich – towards connection subsidies and renewable energy investments that deliver energy to the poor. (Hmmmm !)

The Africa Progress Report 2015 is now available! Read more and download the report here: http://bit.ly/1ANzaki

http://www.africaprogresspanel.org/publications/policy-papers/2015-... ;

http://www.africaprogresspanel.org/africa-progress-report-2015-info...

5. To walk the talk, Power for All was founded by businesses and NGOs united in the belief that we can achieve universal energy access before 2030.

http://www.powerforall.org/about/ ; https://www.facebook.com/PWR4ALL?fref=nf

Hope this new global awareness will be assisted with the necessary political will (adequate attention and investments) to make it happen as intended.

Thank you all.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/TEA.ethiopia/

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Salvatore Chester on June 6, 2015 at 7:45am

UN Report Outlines Ways to Achieve Clean, Sustainable Off-Grid Lighting for Africa -

See more at: http://unep.org/newscentre/default.aspx?DocumentID=26816&Articl...

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Permalink Reply by Salvatore Chester on June 8, 2015 at 4:20am

Solar power to the people: how the sun can ease Africa's electricity crisis .

http://www.theguardian.com/business/economics-blog/2015/jun/05/sola...

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Permalink Reply by Salvatore Chester on June 11, 2015 at 3:39am

Ethiopia submits carbon cutting plan for UN climate deal -

See more at: http://www.rtcc.org/2015/06/10/ethiopia-submits-carbon-cutting-plan...

So sorry! The kerosene problem is totally neglected, again ?!

http://www4.unfccc.int/submissions/INDC/Published%20Documents/Ethio...

https://www.facebook.com/groups/TEA.ethiopia/

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Permalink Reply by Salvatore Chester on June 20, 2015 at 7:51am

Global Alliance for Clean Cookstoves Welcomes Pope's Encyclical on Climate Change . http://cleancookstoves.org/.../06-18-2015-global-alliance....

So glad he mentioned "...‘People take sick, for example, from breathing high levels of smoke from fuels used in cooking or heating.’... But kerosene for lighting's fumes and misery was omitted here.

This scientists clarified it better :-

http://en.radiovaticana.va/news/2015/06/18/climate_scientist_encycl...

However, I do hope the Pope's teachings are taken seriously by those responsible to deliver results.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/TEA.ethiopia/

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Permalink Reply by Salvatore Chester on June 20, 2015 at 8:03am

SHOW ME THE MONEY !

" Africa is a continent and not a country. Therefore, to address its energy challenges , we should focus on each individual country in Africa and not promote a homogeneous solution for all." Posted Energypedia

http://www.theguardian.com/global-development-professionals-network... .

Right! In fact, Ethiopia alone needs at least $1.7b to seriously combat indoor pollution with basic improved cook-stoves AND quality solar lanterns. Spending $100 for each UNEP's estimate of 17m off-grid households will alleviate the suffering of the long neglected rural majority.

Apart the multiple benefits for the environment/climate, its viable ROI is the result of spending $1 to get $16 in return. And no question of "free-lunch" here, for rural communities work for free in reforestation and land degradation works.

So, no excuses left for ignoring them, and get away with it. http://www.enlighten-initiative.org/.../OFG-publication...

https://www.facebook.com/groups/TEA.ethiopia/

@SalvoChester1 on twitter