Energy access to poor or slowly emerging nations, villages and communities can truly be a global game-changer in breaking the continuous cycle of poverty in so many areas of the world and the International Community.
Ready access to reasonably-priced energy means electricity, the advancement of agriculture, the beginnings of industrialization, and, of course to broadband communication with the rest of the world -- the inspirational, educational and sheer economic benefits (not to mention the increased possibilities and incentives for peace) make this a very high priority item on the United Nations' agenda.
There are entire civilizations and cultures which are literally developmental eras behind industrialized civilization because of limited energy access. These people are subject to the vagaries of weather, the soil and gatherable resources to survive --- and hostilities (between warring factions who are all too often being played against each other by industrialized puppeteers who thrive on arms profits gained from both sides) are a way of life instead of collaboration.
These peoples suffer because of their isolation from technology, information and a global perspective.
An article extract from the UN Newsletter touches on some of these points:
| March 21, 2012 | News covering the UN and the world |
 | |
 Access to energy breaks cycle of povertyAccess to energy is a key to economic development in impoverished parts of the world, according to a report, which says sustainable energy fosters enterprise activities that break the cycle of poverty. The United Nations, which estimates that 1.4 billion people do not have access to electricity, has declared 2012 the International Year of Sustainable Energy for All. The Christian Science Monitor/Change Agent |
These "have-not" places are stunted in their social and economic advancement because they lack the basic tools to produce and build value, instead of dealing in seasonal agriculture, hunting and living life in an isolated environment consisting of depletable resources. They have no self-perpetuating economy and know of little else other than despair and a very truncated life expectancy due to antiquated healthcare facilities, a lack of training and the constant threat of violence.
In breaking the cycle of poverty, we can also help destroy the incentives to war and activate the incentives to peace and prosperity. Making energy more readily available to the Third World, and to the pockets of impoverished, isolated cultures and communities worldwide not only gives them the means of accomplishing so much more with their lives -- it engenders an incentive to learn, to build, to grow, to become more independent.
For those looking at this from a purely geopolitical economics perspective, take into account that it is ultimately cheaper to give a people the means to self-sufficiency than to subsidize their unenviable plight. Investing in energy access for these peoples will pay grand dividends in terms of savings on foreign aid and in the quality of life for all of the International Citizenry.
Douglas E. Castle for The Internationalist Page Blog
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