Energía: Acceso y Suficiencia

The document examines the global disparity in energy consumption, contrasting energy poverty in the Global South and parts of the North with excessive consumption in industrialized nations. It proposes 'energy sufficiency' as a paradigm shift away from orthodox economic growth and purely technocentric efficiency, which can lead to the 'Jevons paradox' (increased overall consumption). Through case studies in Gaza, Cameroon, and the Isle of Eigg, the report demonstrates how community-led, small-scale renewable energy projects can meet basic human needs and empower local populations while maintaining ecological limits.

• Global energy access remains severely limited, with nearly 20% of the world's population lacking electricity and nearly 40% lacking clean cooking energy, primarily in Africa and developing Asia.
• Energy poverty exists in the Global North as an issue of affordability rather than availability; in December 2011, 25% of households in England and Wales were officially classified as fuel poor, with an estimated 50 to 125 million fuel-poor people across Europe.
• Extreme inequalities in per capita energy consumption persist, with the US and Canada consuming approximately double that of Europe and Japan, four times that of China, 20 times that of India, and 30 times that of the poorest African nations.
• Energy efficiency can paradoxically increase total consumption—known as the 'Jevons paradox' or 'rebound effect'—when efficiency makes equipment more affordable, thereby increasing demand.
• In Gaza, Israeli restrictions on fuel and spare parts have reduced power plant productivity to 25% of pre-2006 levels, leading to daily blackouts of at least ten hours for over 1.7 million Palestinians and a reliance on hazardous gasoline generators.
• Cameroon's energy system is dominated by large-scale 'dirty' sources, with mega-dams accounting for 70% of installed capacity, yet this centralized grid fails to serve over 74% of rural and poor communities.
• The Isle of Eigg in Scotland implemented a practical model of energy sufficiency by using a local mini-grid (90% renewable) with strict consumption caps of 5kW for homes and 10kW for businesses to avoid system overloads.

APA

Friends of the Earth International (2016). Energía: Acceso y Suficiencia. https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/ENERGY-SUFFICIENCY-ES-FINAL.pdf

Chicago

Friends of the Earth International. Energía: Acceso y Suficiencia. 2016. https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/ENERGY-SUFFICIENCY-ES-FINAL.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Friends of the Earth International |title=Energía: Acceso y Suficiencia |date=November 2016 |url=https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/ENERGY-SUFFICIENCY-ES-FINAL.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{friendsoftheearthinternational2016energa, author = {{Friends of the Earth International}}, title = {{Energía: Acceso y Suficiencia}}, institution = {Friends of the Earth International}, year = {2016}, month = nov, url = {https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/ENERGY-SUFFICIENCY-ES-FINAL.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }