Faith in Action: Empowering the Poor to Reach Universal Energy Access

Access to safe and reliable sources of modern energy is crucial for achieving sustainable and equitable development for the world's poorest (and often energy deprived) citizens. Without electricity, students have no light for studying at night, hospitals cannot store lifesaving vaccines, and irrigation systems cannot sustain drought-stricken regions. Burning traditional fuels like kerosene and biomass types like wood and manure emit deadly fumes, pose fire hazards, and contribute to environmental degradation. Yet, these are often the most available and widely used energy sources in poor communities, in part because many poor people live far from power grids or lack the resources to pay for electricity. This often neglected priority issue raises a series of questions: Who are the actors working to achieve access to safe, reliable, and sustainable energy? What are the latest and best practices and ideas on how to get there? How can we improve coordination in the spirit of the United Nations Secretary General's call to reach universal energy access by 2030?

WFDD, in partnership with the United Nations Foundation, launched an exploration into the intersections of faith and energy access, both to begin to map the landscape of actors and to highlight their current approaches. The energy access challenge is large but not insurmountable, and engaging faith-inspired actors has the potential to both expand the reach and increase the effectiveness of current and future initiatives.