Energy reality

The problems of a majority of urban households which have to live without the supply of gas for cooking purposes will seem insignificant when they find how people in rural areas are putting their health in danger to meet their energy needs. A recent study by the Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI) highlights a largely ignored fact about Pakistan’s energy crisis. It says that only 40 per cent of Pakistanis have access to clean cooking energy. The research further says that women in rural areas have to face two acute challenges: go on a difficult journey to collect biomass for energy and suffer the health burden of respiratory issues caused by exposure to harmful smoke. The data was shared at a seminar titled ‘Women in energy: a perspective on clean energy transition’. The plight and challenges of residents in rural areas rarely get noticed. Policymakers in cities are not keen to include these women whose experiences can help develop a coherent energy plan. This lack of attention towards an important matter may push the country years behind when it comes to meeting the UN-proposed sustainable development goals (SDGs). SDG 7 talks about access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all. Experts are concerned about the exclusion of women from policymaking and lack of a robust media campaign to tackle gender disparity in energy access.

The use of solid fuels for energy needs is not a Pakistan-exclusive phenomenon. A majority of developing countries still rely on solid fuels. These practices are closely associated with poverty. In Pakistan, too, underdeveloped areas are more vulnerable to adopting such harmful methods to meet their needs. These practices lead to indoor pollution, putting people’s lives at risk. Women and children are more prone to developing pneumonia and other respiratory diseases after inhaling hazardous fumes. According to the WHO, the combined effect of household pollution and air pollution leads to 6.7 million premature deaths. Pakistan does not have the latest data on deaths caused by indoor pollution. But a study conducted in 2007 found that around 1.5 million women die prematurely due to inhalation of poisonous fumes generated from organic fuels.

Experts have also pointed out that the energy sector is a male-dominated area where women make up for only 4.6 per cent of technical staff and 3.6 per cent in administrative positions. To devise a strategy, decision-makers should focus on including women in policymaking. They also suggest that women representation in country delegations must be increased to at least 50 per cent at COP to ensure gender equality in leadership positions. Discussions on climate change and the need for clean energy are rampant across the country, but in such talks those who are at the receiving end of the harmful effects of archaic and hazardous methods of meeting energy needs are rarely visible. If Pakistan wants to create a clean environment for its people, it should work towards a just energy transition. While it will take some time to put an end to harmful habits and convince women to shift to other appliances for cooking, Pakistani authorities can start with distributing solar power-backed cooking appliances in low-income households to let people meet energy needs in a safe manner.