Here's why energy security is a vital tool in tackling a pandemic

The author asserts that a lack of reliable electricity in developing countries, especially Sub-Saharan Africa, undermines pandemic response efforts by limiting the functionality of medical equipment and the distribution of vaccines. The document advocates for prioritizing energy solutions for health clinics, protecting low-income consumers from disconnection, and investing in sustainable energy infrastructure to align with the Paris Climate Agreement and Sustainable Development Goals.

• In Sub-Saharan Africa, energy insecurity severely impacts healthcare, with an estimated 28% of health facilities having access to reliable electricity, which threatens the operation of ventilators and other critical medical equipment.
• Global pandemic mitigation strategies, such as social distancing and 'sheltering in place', assume access to affordable electricity for communication and basic needs, yet 840 million people—mostly in sub-Saharan Africa—lack electricity access.
• The absence of a reliable cold chain and refrigeration due to energy deficits prevents rural and vulnerable populations from accessing vaccines once they become available.
• Off-grid decentralized renewable power is identified as a critical, rapid-deployment solution to provide immediate healthcare access and build long-term sustainable energy infrastructure.
• The author proposes three immediate responses: prioritizing power for health clinics, implementing safeguards to prevent the disconnection of low-income households, and increasing sustainable energy production to align with the Paris Climate Agreement and Sustainable Development Goals.

APA

Ogunbiyi, D. (2020). Here's why energy security is a vital tool in tackling a pandemic. World Economic Forum. https://www.weforum.org/stories/global-risks/pandemic-energy-access-coronavirus/

Chicago

Ogunbiyi, Damilola. Here's why energy security is a vital tool in tackling a pandemic. World Economic Forum, 2020. https://www.weforum.org/stories/global-risks/pandemic-energy-access-coronavirus/.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |last1=Ogunbiyi |first1=Damilola |title=Here's why energy security is a vital tool in tackling a pandemic |publisher=World Economic Forum |date=6 April 2020 |url=https://www.weforum.org/stories/global-risks/pandemic-energy-access-coronavirus/ |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{ogunbiyi2020heres, author = {Ogunbiyi, Damilola}, title = {{Here's why energy security is a vital tool in tackling a pandemic}}, publisher = {World Economic Forum}, year = {2020}, month = apr, url = {https://www.weforum.org/stories/global-risks/pandemic-energy-access-coronavirus/}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }