The Current State of Sustainable Energy Provision for Displaced Populations: An Analysis
Chatham House
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Abstract: By the end of 2013,the number of forcibly displaced persons worldwide had reached 51.2 million,of which 33.3 million were internally displaced persons (IDPs) and 16.7 million were refugees. Access to energy is a basic human need; for these displaced people however,access to energy is a real challenge. This initial research reviews camp situations (which are home to approximately 50% of refugees) and focuses on the evidence of the benefits and impacts of sustainable energy access for displaced populations. The paper also assesses how the private sector could help to provide energy for displaced populations. Large numbers of people in camps lack adequate access to sustainable energy; this has a negative impact on their lives. Despite numerous energy access initiatives over the years,the vast majority of displaced people still rely on traditional biomass and kerosene for cooking and lighting respectively. This can have significant impacts on the environment and on their well-being. Women and children in particular may be exposed to health and safety risks and have less time for education,livelihoods,social and other activities because of the time they need to spend collecting fuel.