The U.N. defines energy poverty as lack of access to clean and efficient energy systems. People who are considered energy poor often rely on human and animal power for production. They might gather solid fuels like wood and dung to burn for cooking and heat.

EarthSky spoke to Rob Bailis, who works with energy poverty issues at Yale University. Speaking of the energy poverty of a significant fraction of Earth’s human population, he said, “It is the way that people have been living for thousands of years. Meanwhile, half of the world’s population has shifted into what we would consider a much more modern, convenient way to live, a way which is easier to maintain health standards.”

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Ballis is particularly concerned with solid fuel use, which causes what he called “indoor air pollution,” which in turn is linked to widespread respiratory illnesses and lung diseases.

According to the World Health Organization, indoor air pollution kills more people than malaria or tuberculosis each year. Bailis spoke of creating markets for clean, renewable energy. And he said improving access to modern energy would have huge health benefits for large populations.

But, he said, even the term “energy poverty” raises a complex set of issues.

Our thanks to Rob Bailis
Rob Bailis is an assistant professor at Yale University. His research is focused on resource access, poverty, and links between public health, social welfare, and environmental change. In addition, he has worked with grassroots efforts in Africa, India, and Latin America to design and disseminate household stoves with the aim of reducing both fuelwood consumption and human exposure to combustion emissions.