SDG 7, both in Brazil and around the world, has the goal of ensuring everyone has access to sustainable and affordable energy. This means not only providing essential services but also safeguarding the planet that 7.8 billion people and 8.7 million species call home for generations to come.
The United Nations (UN) hopes to achieve all SDGs by the year 2030. For SDG 7, there are five targets. Each target is measurable by one or more indicators. The targets are as follows: increased accessibility to electricity, decreased use of fossil fuels globally, doubled energy efficiency, development of new technologies and the establishment of modern energy infrastructure in all developing nations.
SDG 7 Updates
As for updates on SDG 7 in Brazil, it is one of only six nations on track for success. Along with Brazil, the world leaders in renewable energy are Uruguay, Denmark, Iceland, Norway, Sweden and Finland. Nations, though, may be reluctant to make the switch due to fears transitions could slow or stall economic development. In turn, the fossil fuel industry continues to burn steadily. Brazil, however, is doing a notable job balancing the two. Brazil enjoys near-universal energy access, and nearly half of the country’s energy supply is sustainable. In addition, Brazil’s GDP rose by 2.9% in 2022. However, access to electricity does not necessarily equate to reductions in energy poverty.
Addressing energy poverty is a complex issue. While Brazil has made significant progress in energy production and distribution, the challenge of affordability remains. This problem can be tackled through increased energy efficiency or by offering excess energy to rural areas at more affordable rates. Although Brazil has extended electrical access to even remote regions, rural communities struggle to afford the same energy consumption as urban households.
Despite around 99% of the population having access to electricity, as of 2017, roughly 11% of Brazilians still experience energy poverty.
Brazil’s energy sector has earned a reputation as a global leader, actively engaging in discussions with organizations like the World Economic Forum through energy roundtables. As of late June 2023, the World Economic Forum has made three key observations (modernization, technology and financing) regarding Brazil’s energy landscape.
Modernization
At the round table, Brazil released its 2050 National Energy Plan. The country looks back on past success with carbon credit trading and looks forward to market decentralization to ensure market mechanisms remain stable in further transitions. Though the concept of carbon credits has not yet received backing in international law, the idea is that Brazil is preparing for a future market.
The concept of carbon credits works like this: Countries get a limit on the amount of carbon emissions they can produce during a set period. If a country does not use up its entire carbon allowance, it can sell the unused portion as carbon credits to other countries. These credits are essentially assets in a voluntary market.
Regarding decentralization, it is primarily associated with the trade of solar energy. Brazil is taking steps to facilitate transactions between solar energy producers (prosumers) and energy consumers by removing barriers that hinder the sale of excess energy. This helps to promote the use of renewable energy sources and reduce carbon emissions.
Technology
When transitioning to renewable energies, expanding transmission systems is essential. Renewable energy production varies due to changing weather conditions, making it unreliable without a widespread network of power stations. Brazil, in partnership with China, has undertaken the Belo Monte Phase II project, connecting power plants in the north to the densely populated southeast region. This ambitious project spans more than 2,500 kilometers, creating 16,000 jobs and contributing 2.2 billion Reais in taxes. Brazil’s future plans include increased investment in CCUS (carbon capture, utilization and storage) facilities, a crucial step toward achieving zero emissions by 2050. Before fully transitioning to renewable grids, it’s vital to reduce emissions from the power and industrial sectors. Investment in CCUS technology focuses on efficiently storing and recycling carbon in the environment.
Financing
In 2022, Bloomberg’s Climatescope ranked Brazil ninth in its list of, “most attractive markets for energy transition projects investment.” Brazil is utilizing the growing market for renewable energy with sales of Power Purchase Agreements (PPA) and green bonds domestically and internationally. A green bond works the same as a regular bond only it is intended specifically for projects that positively impact the environment. The green bond market is projected to grow to $1 trillion in 2023. As things stand, the World Economic Forum estimates the entirety of the bond market is about $130 trillion. Brazil and nations like Brazil, are bringing us closer to the goals of SDG 7 and the Paris Climate Agreement.
Looking Ahead
With only seven nations on track to meet Sustainable Development Goal 7 (SDG 7), it appears that many states are cautious about transitioning to sustainable energy. Clean energy solutions can potentially address the challenges resulting from changing weather patterns. For example, rising temperatures render land unsuitable for agriculture, leading to crop failures. Additionally, it threatens livestock by depleting their water sources. Such environmental changes contribute to food insecurity, particularly in communities already struggling with extreme poverty. For these communities, agriculture is a lifeline.
The World Economic Forum suggests that nations should reconsider their dependency on single-source suppliers for critical materials that are essential for their safety and security. In the larger context, Brazil’s achievements regarding SDG 7 set a standard that is both practical and imperative in multiple respects.
– Anthony Coletta
Photo: Flickr
5 Ways Foreign Policy Has Helped Tackle the Famine in Ethiopia
Ethiopia is currently experiencing its sixth consecutively failed rainy season, prolonging a drought that is already affecting more than 30 million people. In 2023, Ethiopia still ranks number two on the world watch list, with 2023 global warming worsening the need for humanitarian aid. However, while Ethiopia is facing numerous challenges with famine, the world rallies together to try and relieve some of the suffering they are currently experiencing. With foreign aid in Ethiopia, significant progress has occurred in addressing this crisis. Here are five ways in which foreign policy and aid have played a crucial role in combating famine in Ethiopia.
1. Food Assistance
Foreign aid is instrumental in providing essential food assistance to those whom famine in Ethiopia has affected. Through partnerships with international organizations and donor countries, vulnerable communities have received food supplies, helping to alleviate hunger and malnutrition. A main example of this in regard to the Ethiopian famine includes the UN World Food Program (WFP). This program currently serves as a primary form of relief and food assistance for famine sufferers in Ethiopia, with new and enhanced controls being introduced to provide food security in more complex areas, such as Tigray, a zone that war has damaged. These measures have emerged to prevent food from falling into the wrong hands and being stolen from those who need it most and include tracking and digital registration of recipients and locations to ensure those in need of food security receive it.
2. Agricultural Development
Agriculture is at the heart of Ethiopia’s economy, with 80% of its population residing in rural areas, where agriculture is their main source of income. With six consecutively failed harvest seasons, Ethiopia has been unable to feed its population that depends on the land to grow and sell its food. That is why a large focus of foreign aid in Ethiopia is directed at stimulating agricultural development by fertilizing land, teaching new skills and how to farm in differing conditions and investing in agricultural measures and equipment. This empowers local farmers to improve their practices, learn new ways of farming, enhance food production capabilities and create sustainable solutions to combat famine. While investing aid into agricultural development may not provide immediate relief, it has been proven to have long-lasting effects, providing Ethiopia with a more stable food security journey for the years to come.
3. Health Care Support
Foreign aid also contributes to improving health care services in famine-affected areas. The United States is the main provider of humanitarian assistance in Ethiopia, providing the country with $331 million in foreign aid. This investment equips Ethiopia with life-saving support such as sanitation, hygiene, shelter and safe drinking water. By investing in medical infrastructure, training health care professionals and providing essential medical supplies, foreign policy initiatives have helped to address health challenges and reduce the impact of diseases, improving the overall well-being of the population.
4. Education Promotion
Foreign aid also extends to investments in education for Ethiopia, a crucial factor in breaking the cycle of poverty and famine. Foreign aid in terms of education paves the way for the building of schools, providing of educational resources, teacher training programs and equal quality educational access for all children in Ethiopia. This empowers individuals with the knowledge and skills needed to break the cycle of poverty and create sustainable solutions.
By promoting education, Ethiopians become more equipped to improve their agricultural practices, make informed decisions about their health and well-being and move their dependence upon agricultural systems to other focuses in their economy. Moreover, organizations such as Menschen fur Menschen target keeping women in education, providing statistics that show that educated women have fewer children and therefore have more opportunities in the working world to lift themselves out of poverty. Education fosters resilience and empowers communities to adapt to changing circumstances, such as drought, ultimately reducing vulnerability to famine.
5. Infrastructure Investment
Investment in infrastructure plays a vital role in addressing famine in Ethiopia, as most of the population lives in rural areas. Infrastructure consists of physical systems and structures put in place that underpin society, such as roads, and without them, a developed modern life would not be possible. Infrastructure helps improve transportation, allows access to markets and enhances food security. Projects, such as building roads and irrigation systems, enable efficient distribution of food and resources to famine-affected areas. Additionally, developing infrastructure lessens vulnerability as it creates economic opportunities, improves agricultural productivity and enhances the overall resilience of communities in the face of food shortages.
Looking Ahead
Foreign policy and aid have been instrumental in addressing famine in Ethiopia. Through food assistance, agricultural development, health care support, education promotion and infrastructure investment, foreign aid has a positive impact in combating famine and improving the lives of people in Ethiopia. Continued international cooperation and support are essential to sustain efforts and contribute to a hunger-free future in Ethiopia.
– Ellis Nicoll
Photo: Flickr
3 Ways EVs Are Reducing Global Poverty
Electric vehicles (EVs) are the latest trend in the automotive industry and are helping diminish global poverty. Originating in the 1880s, the recent resurgence of the electric car has helped reduce air pollution associated with internal combustion engines (ICEs).
Although they can have a high upfront cost and require charging infrastructure, electric vehicles are driving solutions to global poverty by lowering operating costs, reducing air pollution and creating energy independence. Here are three ways EVs are reducing global poverty.
1. Lowered Operation Cost
Although the high cost of using electricity as fuel may at first seem daunting, lower maintenance costs mean EVs manage to break even over ICE cars. Proponents of EVs have cited the fact that these cars are cheaper to drive per mile, and this is due to the cars’ superior fuel efficiency. Compared to cars that run on ICEs, EVs require far fewer units of fuel.
For example, a study from the World Bank predicts a large increase in the cost advantage of EVs. The study, focusing on 20 countries around the world, observed scenarios like the 30 x 30, green grid, and scarce minerals scenarios to simulate the return on investment of EVs by 2030. These scenarios all had different concentrations of EVs and varied circumstances. For instance, the green grid scenario assumes the achievement of certain renewable energy goals.
The statistics strongly support the idea that increasing efforts to promote EVs would create a significant financial cost advantage. Even in the scarce minerals scenario, a case where critical minerals are depleted and the cost of batteries decreases slower than expected, the study predicts a positive financial cost advantage for all of the 20 countries observed.
These statistics, therefore, support the idea that EVs’ lowered operation cost can save important money for developing countries. Their strong long-term prospects for fuel economy make EVs a good tool for reducing global poverty.
2. Reduced Air Pollution and Associated Savings
EVs also allow for substantial savings thanks to their reduced air pollution. The environmental benefits of EVs translate into economic advantages for both individuals and societies at large.
ICE cars release emissions like carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxides and particulate matter, which contribute to pollution, increasing populations’ susceptibility to airborne disease.
EVs, which do not burn gas but instead use electricity as fuel, do not release these harmful emissions. Although generators, which charge these cars with electricity, do release emissions, these are at a far lower level than those released by ICE engines. Replacing ICE cars with EVs would thus tremendously lower poverty associated with pollution-caused disease.
In addition to lowering disease-related poverty, reducing pollution would cut the need for expensive cleanup efforts. Funds that would otherwise be used for these projects could go toward projects that improve employment and education.
3. Improvements to Energy Independence
Electricity generated domestically, mostly from renewable resources like solar, wind and hydropower, can help charge EVs. By depending more on locally produced, renewable energy, the need to import fossil fuels decreases, improving energy security.
For many developing countries, oil is a key source of energy. Increasing oil costs might be bad for these economies. By switching to EVs, nations can lessen their dependence on imported oil, reducing the political and economic risks related to the oil market.
Therefore, a crucial part of the answer to reducing global poverty is energy independence, an issue which is considerably improved by EVs.
Conclusion
As these vehicles become ever more affordable for the public, there is no doubt that EVs will become the go-to method of transportation, alleviating both economic and environmental issues.
EVs lower operating costs, reduce air pollution and contribute to energy independence making them key in building a more equitable and sustainable world. By continuing to invest in this integral technology, we can work toward a future where EVs play a central role in alleviating poverty and promoting prosperity for all.
– Advait K. Mishra
Photo: Wikipedia Commons
The Effects of Air Pollution in Iraq
Air pollution in Iraq is one of many environmental issues the country faces. As of 2022, it ranked second in having the worst air quality in the world, only behind Chad. That quality has continued as Iraqi oil fields grow, tainting the air around them and making Iraq the most polluted country in the Middle East.
The Environmental Protection Agency defines small inhalable particles as particulate matter and any particles with a diameter of 2.5 micrometers or less are expressed as PM 2.5. Using this measurement sets a standard of what is breathable and what is harmful to the human body. Iraq’s national average is nearly two times higher than World Health Organization (WHO) recommendations. These particles are small enough to get into the lungs and bloodstream, which can have disastrous impacts on major organs.
Air pollution in Iraq is affecting those struggling in poverty the most, which is nearly 25% of the population. They are more likely to live near industrial regions, including oil fields where air quality is at its worst, and have less access to affordable health care when compared to higher-income homes.
Steps are being taken to right the ship, and at the start of 2023, Iraq implemented a tree-planting initiative aiming to plant 5 million trees throughout the country that will clean up the air and combat desertification. It will also improve soil fertility and increase the availability of clean water, which is massively beneficial considering how prone Iraq is to droughts.
The Oil Boom
The main contributors to air pollution in Iraq are its massive oil fields in both the North and South. Oil operations in the country account for “95% of foreign exchange earnings,” according to the Iraqi Embassy in Washington, D.C. It produces slightly less than 4 million barrels per day as of now, but the Iraqi parliament has agreed on a plan to raise that number above 5 million barrels per day. It is the fifth largest producer of crude oil in the world, and while this has positive effects on Iraq’s economy, those who live near the oil fields see a very different reality.
Gas flaring describes the burning of excess methane gas when drilling for oil. In countries with strong infrastructure, this excess gas can be reused for further oil production or be processed and consumed for power generation; not so in Iraq. Gas flaring creates huge flames that release toxic gasses like benzene, which, when humans are exposed, causes cells not to work as they should. Exposure can lead to the loss of white blood cells and even death when ingested at high levels. The gas is so dangerous that Iraqi laws prohibit any oil and gas infrastructure from being closer than 10 kilometers from residential areas — but enforcement of those laws is insufficient.
The Oil Field in Rumaila
In the southern city of Rumaila sits the third largest oil field in the world, which happens to be less than five kilometers away from residential housing, where almost 50% of residents live in poverty. The government has agreed to end what they call routine flaring, even going as far as signing a plan designed by the World Bank to find better uses for the excess gas.
Iraq is finding other ways it can improve its air quality and climate effects as a whole. With the help of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), the Iraqi Ministry of Health and Environment revised multiple policies that address the country’s greenhouse emissions in the oil and gas sectors and also in agriculture, which will improve air quality. The 2021 commitment will see Iraq use excess methane in electricity production and have better control over crops that produce methane in higher numbers. The goal behind the changes taking place is for Iraq to lower usual greenhouse admissions by 15% by 2035.
Effects on Children
Air pollution in Iraq can be attributed to Western oil companies just as much as to Iraq itself. Oil giant BP practices flaring near Basra at the Rumaila oil field. Higher rates of cancer have been noticed, and many of them have been children. It has gotten so bad that Jassem al-Falahi, Iraqi Environmental Minister, had to admit a link between the two does exist, yet the Minister of Oil continues to deny all connections between air pollution and cancer rates.
Multidimensional poverty describes households that find themselves deprived of needs like education and basic infrastructure services. It is a unit of measure beyond monetary poverty and one in two Iraqi children face this obstacle. Living in poverty means less resilience to climate-related changes including air pollution.
Air pollution in Iraq is a problem that can be improved if those in high government positions can see eye to eye. Gas flaring affects the air quality, and there is a clear link between rising cancer rates and the burning of chemicals like benzene. The chemicals burned can be reused and be beneficial for Iraqis, especially those in poverty. It can be used for more oil production or to generate power in a country where middle-income homes rely on generators for 10 hours per day for power. Those in poverty do not have access to the funds needed to power generators so reusing oil byproducts solves multiple issues.
– Benett Crim
Photo: Flickr
Updates on SDG 7 in Brazil: Ongoing Developments
SDG 7, both in Brazil and around the world, has the goal of ensuring everyone has access to sustainable and affordable energy. This means not only providing essential services but also safeguarding the planet that 7.8 billion people and 8.7 million species call home for generations to come.
The United Nations (UN) hopes to achieve all SDGs by the year 2030. For SDG 7, there are five targets. Each target is measurable by one or more indicators. The targets are as follows: increased accessibility to electricity, decreased use of fossil fuels globally, doubled energy efficiency, development of new technologies and the establishment of modern energy infrastructure in all developing nations.
SDG 7 Updates
As for updates on SDG 7 in Brazil, it is one of only six nations on track for success. Along with Brazil, the world leaders in renewable energy are Uruguay, Denmark, Iceland, Norway, Sweden and Finland. Nations, though, may be reluctant to make the switch due to fears transitions could slow or stall economic development. In turn, the fossil fuel industry continues to burn steadily. Brazil, however, is doing a notable job balancing the two. Brazil enjoys near-universal energy access, and nearly half of the country’s energy supply is sustainable. In addition, Brazil’s GDP rose by 2.9% in 2022. However, access to electricity does not necessarily equate to reductions in energy poverty.
Addressing energy poverty is a complex issue. While Brazil has made significant progress in energy production and distribution, the challenge of affordability remains. This problem can be tackled through increased energy efficiency or by offering excess energy to rural areas at more affordable rates. Although Brazil has extended electrical access to even remote regions, rural communities struggle to afford the same energy consumption as urban households.
Despite around 99% of the population having access to electricity, as of 2017, roughly 11% of Brazilians still experience energy poverty.
Brazil’s energy sector has earned a reputation as a global leader, actively engaging in discussions with organizations like the World Economic Forum through energy roundtables. As of late June 2023, the World Economic Forum has made three key observations (modernization, technology and financing) regarding Brazil’s energy landscape.
Modernization
At the round table, Brazil released its 2050 National Energy Plan. The country looks back on past success with carbon credit trading and looks forward to market decentralization to ensure market mechanisms remain stable in further transitions. Though the concept of carbon credits has not yet received backing in international law, the idea is that Brazil is preparing for a future market.
The concept of carbon credits works like this: Countries get a limit on the amount of carbon emissions they can produce during a set period. If a country does not use up its entire carbon allowance, it can sell the unused portion as carbon credits to other countries. These credits are essentially assets in a voluntary market.
Regarding decentralization, it is primarily associated with the trade of solar energy. Brazil is taking steps to facilitate transactions between solar energy producers (prosumers) and energy consumers by removing barriers that hinder the sale of excess energy. This helps to promote the use of renewable energy sources and reduce carbon emissions.
Technology
When transitioning to renewable energies, expanding transmission systems is essential. Renewable energy production varies due to changing weather conditions, making it unreliable without a widespread network of power stations. Brazil, in partnership with China, has undertaken the Belo Monte Phase II project, connecting power plants in the north to the densely populated southeast region. This ambitious project spans more than 2,500 kilometers, creating 16,000 jobs and contributing 2.2 billion Reais in taxes. Brazil’s future plans include increased investment in CCUS (carbon capture, utilization and storage) facilities, a crucial step toward achieving zero emissions by 2050. Before fully transitioning to renewable grids, it’s vital to reduce emissions from the power and industrial sectors. Investment in CCUS technology focuses on efficiently storing and recycling carbon in the environment.
Financing
In 2022, Bloomberg’s Climatescope ranked Brazil ninth in its list of, “most attractive markets for energy transition projects investment.” Brazil is utilizing the growing market for renewable energy with sales of Power Purchase Agreements (PPA) and green bonds domestically and internationally. A green bond works the same as a regular bond only it is intended specifically for projects that positively impact the environment. The green bond market is projected to grow to $1 trillion in 2023. As things stand, the World Economic Forum estimates the entirety of the bond market is about $130 trillion. Brazil and nations like Brazil, are bringing us closer to the goals of SDG 7 and the Paris Climate Agreement.
Looking Ahead
With only seven nations on track to meet Sustainable Development Goal 7 (SDG 7), it appears that many states are cautious about transitioning to sustainable energy. Clean energy solutions can potentially address the challenges resulting from changing weather patterns. For example, rising temperatures render land unsuitable for agriculture, leading to crop failures. Additionally, it threatens livestock by depleting their water sources. Such environmental changes contribute to food insecurity, particularly in communities already struggling with extreme poverty. For these communities, agriculture is a lifeline.
The World Economic Forum suggests that nations should reconsider their dependency on single-source suppliers for critical materials that are essential for their safety and security. In the larger context, Brazil’s achievements regarding SDG 7 set a standard that is both practical and imperative in multiple respects.
– Anthony Coletta
Photo: Flickr
Being Poor in Kazakhstan
While many may associate Kazakhstan with “Borat,” the country could not be further from the way the film presents it or from Sacha Baron Cohen’s depiction of a citizen of the young nation that is Central Asia’s largest country – spanning a distance equivalent to London to Istanbul. While poverty may often go overlooked in the country, as it stands tall – the wealthiest nation in the region with a booming economy, many Kazakh families struggle with access to necessities and 15.5% of residents live below the poverty line. Here is an examination of being poor in Kazakhstan.
Kazakhstan’s Social Security System
In Kazakhstan, the government program Target Social Assistance (TSA) is the main line of defense in aiding to lift people out of poverty. However, residents still struggle to navigate life with the social security program, as it only covers a portion of families’ basic needs.
The lack of sufficient support that the social security program of Kazakhstan provides raises concern as Article 9 of the United Nations “International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights” recognizes social security as a right everyone should have. Article 22 of the United Nations’ Universal Declaration of Human Rights mirrors Article 9 of the “International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights,” stating that everyone has a right to Social Security.
The Director of the Europe & Central Asia Division of the Human Rights Watch, Hugh Williamson, reflects on Kazakhstan’s Target Social Assistance program: “A relatively prosperous country such as Kazakhstan should be able to step up and meet its human rights obligations to ensure that everyone has access to social security that offers an adequate standard of living.”
Alternative Government Assistance
While Kazakhstan’s social security program might not be able to meet the people’s needs, alternative government assistance presents itself as loan forgiveness. President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has also started loan forgiveness for over “3 of 18 million.”
Aside from the Kazakh government’s support, NGOs like Niyet, established in 2017, provide increased support for children who face various challenges with being poor in Kazakhstan whether it be that they are orphans or they meet the poverty threshold by raising funds to provide financial assistance. These funds are redistributed in the form of a certificate that may be used to buy basic necessities including food and other items that children may make use of. Over a three-year period, Niyet has raised 406 Million Kazakh Tenge.
Outlook
This action from Kazakhstan’s President, along with Kazakhstan’s involvement in China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), the World Bank Reports, is projected to increase the country’s GDP, though recognizes that the impact of the GDP growth won’t affect all regions to the same extent, which will still leave inquiry across the country.
Additionally, in a different report, the World Bank projects that Kazakhstan is to undergo “moderate growth” with an increase in GDP in 2024 of 4%. However, the projections face risk due to the conflict in Ukraine and Russia lying as the gatekeeper between Kazakhstan and the West.
While poverty is still a serious and pressing issue that Kazakhstan must navigate, Kazakhstan’s economic activities will continue to improve and benefit the country.
– Noah Marshall
Photo: Flickr
How Renewable Energy Could Reduce Poverty in Kuwait
Who Are “Bidoons”?
Bidoon, short for Bidoon Jinsiya (which means “without nationality” in Arabic), is a minority group in Kuwait that has existed since Kuwait gained independence in 1961. After independence, the nation split into three nationalities: “founding fathers” who got nationality, naturalized citizens and the rest labeled as Bidoon Jinsya. The Bidoon group consisted of people who did not apply for citizenship due to the unawareness of the new citizenship law in rural parts of Kuwait, which is where they mainly lived.
However, this lack of citizenship didn’t pose problems until 1986 when the Kuwaiti government labeled them as “illegal residents” and stripped them of their rights. This left hundreds of thousands of Bidoons in poverty, and most still suffer from various challenges ranging from energy poverty to issues with education accessibility.
How to Reduce Poverty Among the Bidoon Group
Although several initiatives can reduce poverty, the implementation of renewable energy is one that can greatly reduce poverty among the Bidoon group. Here are the two main benefits of renewable energy:
Domestic and International Renewable Energy Initiatives in Kuwait
The energy sector in Kuwait is facing energy grid and capacity issues due to increasing demand for energy. As the country develops, there is not enough energy to supply its growth, and any more use of fossil fuels will have lasting consequences on the country’s people and energy sector. In fact, by 2030, Kuwait’s energy demand will triple, according to KISR. Thus, the Kuwaiti government has set a goal to power 15% of its total energy with renewable energy by 2030. This gives positive prospects that Kuwait will move towards sustainable energy and indirectly aid the Bidoon group’s fight against poverty.
Furthermore, global initiatives from organizations such as the World Bank and REN21 promote sustainable energy development on a global scale. These initiatives can directly aid in reducing poverty among the Bidoon group, by creating jobs and increasing the affordability of energy. Overall, the likelihood of reducing poverty in Kuwait’s Bidoons is high as renewable energy is promoted domestically and internationally.
– Suhani Bhattad
Photo: Unsplash
How the Niger Coup Is Hurting the Country
Niger’s Coup and Food Insecurity
Military coup leaders took President Bazoum hostage in Niger’s capital, Niamey. Threats of his execution are preventing foreign intervention, but several surrounding states imposed sanctions prohibiting transactions with Niger.
As one of the world’s most impoverished nations, Niger was already struggling financially before the coup. The country suffers from intense drought, and more than 4.3 million people rely on food aid to survive. That becomes an issue as some of Niger’s biggest donors, like Germany and France, are cutting aid. The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) also closed key borders for Niger’s imports and exports to Benin and Nigeria.
Since the revolt, the price of common goods has increased throughout Niger. Rice, for instance, rose from 11,000 West African francs a bag to 13,000 francs in just a few days. As a landlocked nation, Niger relies on imports from neighboring countries for staple foods like rice. But sanctions preventing transactions are driving those prices up, making it difficult for many people to afford daily necessities.
The Impact on Fuel Costs
Another key resource seeing price increases is fuel. Drivers who transport passengers for a living suffer from profit cuts as they are forced to direct funds toward higher fuel costs. Many families have also suffered from power loss since Nigeria, which supplies 70% of Niger’s electricity, cut fuel to Niger. Even before the coup, less than one out of five people had access to electricity. Now, that number is even lower.
Niger’s Hydroelectric Potential
Prior to the takeover, Niger’s hopes for economic improvement rested on using its hydroelectric potential. The Chinese company Gezhouba Group was building a hydropower plant on the Niger River to help improve Niger’s energy production. However, the company suspended construction activities due to other ECOWAS sanctions. Now, the dam’s completion will likely be delayed, further hurting progress on Niger’s electricity development.
Niger coup leaders also stopped UN agencies and NGOs from working in military operation zones. Consequently, organizations that work to help refugees, like the UN’s International Organization for Migration, are unable to provide aid. Coup violence displaced more than 20,000 in Niger, and more than 700,000 already experienced displacement in the country. Since humanitarian services cannot access Niger to provide displaced people refuge, those who are displaced are often at a loss.
What the United Nations Has Been Doing
The United Nations has been seeking contact with coup leaders since its humanitarian services have been halted. “We are reaching out to the de facto authorities in Niger to better understand what this means and the implications for the humanitarian work,” said UN spokesperson Alessandra Velluci.
The United States is also one of Niger’s main suppliers of military and security assistance. However, following the coup, the U.S. suspended certain aid programs including military education and training that help Niger fight terrorism. The United States Congress mandates that the country must halt all aid to any government subjected to a military coup, and while U.S. officials have avoided the use of that particular word, many of the aid programs have been halted.
How the US Has Helped
Many foreign policy advisors argue that the Biden administration should formally declare the events a coup, as the military leaders are still refusing to negotiate. However, that would result in the loss of hundreds of millions of dollars in American funding. The U.S., as an ally to Niger, sent about $218 million in security assistance and $664 million in health and development assistance to Niger between 2017 and 2022. Similar aid remains at stake in the coming years if coup leaders remain unwilling to restore democracy.
The coup leaders argued that the country under Bazoum was subject to poor economic management and security, yet recent growth statistics suggest otherwise. Niger’s economy rebounded in 2022 after the pandemic’s crash with a growth of 11.5%. Growth was expected to reach 12.4% in 2024 if targets for oil production and international financial support were met, but those prospects are now unlikely.
Niger’s political and economic futures are highly uncertain. But while borders remain closed and aid programs stay halted, Nigeriens suffer from resource access. Sanctions that cause Niger’s public to suffer are harming the nation’s stability.
– Lindsey Osit
Photo: Flickr
Being Poor in South Sudan
About Being Poor in South Sudan
South Sudan is consistently cited as the most poverty-stricken country in the world. In fact, about 82% of Southern Sudanese persons are poor. In 2013 and 2016, civil wars emerged which significantly undercut South Sudan’s advances to further its independence. These civil wars manifested more strife, displacement and external shocks which caused even more economic stagnation and instability, resulting in perpetual cycles of poverty.
In March 2022, a staggering statistic emerged asserting that more than 70% of Southern Sudanese persons will struggle to survive the peak of the annual “lean season,” because of unprecedented levels of food insecurity caused by climate shocks, COVID-19, rising costs and conflict. The United Nations further noted that Southern Sudanese people face extreme hunger, and tens of thousands are already severely malnourished because of successive and continuous shocks. If left unattended, many of these persons could starve to death.
The World Food Programme’s Efforts
The World Food Programme (WFP) has made significant strides in combating South Sudan’s poverty crisis. In 2021, the WFP provided 5.9 million persons with food and nutrition assistance, including more than 730,000 persons in South Sudan who “benefited from livelihood activities.” Additionally, since 2005, The World Bank Group (WBG) has oriented its attention to the country ever since the formation of the autonomous Government of Southern Sudan. In efforts to combat being poor in South Sudan, WBG is taking internal measures. The WBG’s Country Engagement Note (CEN) FY 21–23 is guiding its strategy. The main goals are to first lay the groundwork for institution building; second, continue support for fundamental public service delivery; and third, promote resilience and further livelihood opportunities.
Looking Ahead
A call to action for this global crisis is imperative. The merit of inhabiting a democracy is the ability to exercise one’s voice for not only domestic concerns, but broader global concerns which impact all persons, either directly or indirectly. In the case of South Sudan, fears of the situation growing worse are legitimately established, as espoused by the UN most ubiquitously. Therefore, calling on domestic and foreign leaders to orient their attention toward the persons of South Sudan remains obligatory. If addressed properly, South Sudan’s dire poverty crisis can be met with significant progress, if not eliminated entirely.
– Eric Van Evans
Photo: Unsplash
Facing Period Poverty in Finland
Periods Are a Part of Life
In Finland, as well as many other parts of the world, menstruation is a private matter. While it is beneficial to set boundaries, this line of thinking has created an illusion that periods are taboo. In reality, they are simply part of life. Arja Karhuvaara, a Helsinki City Councillor for the National Coalition Party, did not believe the topic was relevant to city council proceedings in June of 2021. When asked about her opinions on discussing menstrual hygiene, she stated that “there are T-shirts at home that one can make sanitary pads out of if the situation is quite hopeless.” This comment demonstrates just how little people publicly discuss periods, despite the fact that menstruation takes up “on average… about seven years” of a woman’s life. This is a significant amount of time to be deprived of education, experiences and proper care methods.
The Price of Periods
The nature of current public policy around period poverty in Finland has more deeply embedded the idea that menstruation is only to be addressed through consumerism and not open communication. In other words, women buy period products because they are the silent solution that has been offered. In Finland, however, people face heavy taxes and rising prices on these hygienic items. They may cost anywhere from “a couple of euros up to as much as ten euros.” This is a significant part of students’ monthly budgets. As such, some women cannot afford these items. In a survey conducted by the city of Helsinki, “eight percent said they had skipped school because they didn’t have period protection.” That is why, in 2021, the Helsinki City Council composed an experiment in which they would provide period products for free to young, financially constrained women during their menstrual cycles.
The Experiment
Out of the participants chosen, “eighteen percent of respondents—or nearly a fifth—said monetary constraints had prevented them from purchasing menstrual products.” This is why the experiment was so vital. Twenty-four councilors signed the proposal. They conveyed the message that “no one [should have] to choose whether to use their money on food or menstrual products.” Additionally, they hoped to create a change, whereby menstruation would not be a sign of inequality or seen as a stigmatized defect, but rather a natural phenomenon and normal experience. Finally, in December 2021, “the Helsinki City Council voted for the proposal with a majority of 50 to 31. A four-month trial started in September.”
Results and Looking Forward
After distributing sanitary products to 753 pupils, the city of Helsinki declared the study a success. The distribution reached four educational institutions. Close to half of the students who participated in the study also took part in a survey. The results showed that pupils were grateful for free sanitary products. It seems that with such a positive response, the experiment was able to make a crack in the code of silence surrounding period poverty in Finland. Hopefully, this small victory will lead to considerable changes over time.
– Rachel Breeden
Photo: Flickr
Contributions of The Gates Foundation To Tackle HIV/AIDS
Bill Gates and his ex-wife Melinda French are two of the most prominent and generous philanthropists in the world. In 2000, they set up the Gates Foundation, an organization dedicated to alleviating a variety of social ailments, including global poverty and disease. Since its founding, the Foundation has invested an unprecedented $79.2 billion towards this goal, with $39 billion of that coming from Bill and Melinda themselves. Today, the Foundation is one of the most powerful and influential nonprofits in the world.
HIV/AIDS has ravaged vulnerable countries and societies since the 1980s, with the epidemic killing an estimated 40 million people since it was first discovered. Like many other nonprofits, the Gates Foundation has dedicated much of its research, volunteering and funding to tackling the epidemic. This ultimately helps the poorest and most vulnerable people across the world who are most at risk of becoming infected with HIV.
Assisting the Global Fund
One of the main ways that the Gates Foundation is tackling HIV/AIDS is by supplying direct funding to The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria, an organization established by the United Nations in 2002 with the ultimate goal of removing those three diseases from the world. In fact, The Gates Foundation provided the seed money for the Fund when it was first established, making Gates and French crucial stakeholders in the organization.
The Gates Foundation continues to make regular financial commitments to the Global Fund, particularly because of its work fighting HIV and AIDS. Over the course of 25 months between 2020 and 2022, the Foundation pledged more than $731 million for the Fund, with Gates himself calling the Fund “one of the most effective ways we invest our money every year.” Gates’ continuous support of the Global Fund allows the institution to continue its vital work, saving an estimated 100,000 lives a month through the provision of antiretroviral treatment and other forms of medication.
By working in collaboration with The Global Fund, The Gates Foundation is an extremely significant instrument that is used to tackle HIV/AIDS, not just by funding the supply of medicinal supplies, but also through the financing of research on the diseases. By Gates’ own admission, treatment without prevention is entirely “unsustainable,” meaning that The Gates Foundation also uses The Global Fund to research microbicides and other preventative measures to stop the spread of HIV.
Tackling the Stigma of HIV/AIDS
In addition to providing financial support to The Global Fund, the Gates Foundation is also tackling HIV/AIDS by fighting the harsh stigma that surrounds the disease that prevents people from seeking and receiving the help that they so desperately need.
Since the discovery of AIDS in 1981 and HIV in 1984, there has been a large, albeit reduced, fear of the disease and of its transmission. Thousands of people have died of AIDS as a result of this stigma in both developed and developing countries, which governments across the world largely ignored. The Gates Foundation has recently called for greater access to preventative HIV measures that reduce transmission rates dramatically, and has also called upon governments and NGOs to join them in breaking the stigma.
The Gates Foundation acknowledges that researching and providing treatment for HIV/AIDS is a challenge in itself, with its difficulty being exacerbated by public opinion of the disease. Melinda French has publicly spoken out about the difficulty she faced trying to speak to sex workers who help fight HIV/AIDS during her travels around the world doing charity work on behalf of the Foundation, calling for greater advocacy to remove the stigma entirely.
While there are an innumerable number of organizations, charities and government policies dedicated to tackling HIV/AIDS in 2023, the Gates Foundation’s resources, influence and longevity have made it one of the most effective institutions that prioritizes fighting the disease. Through a combination of funding vital research and allocation of medicine, and fighting the cruel stigma of the diseases, the Gates Foundation is making major contributions to tackling HIV/AIDS and has done so for many years.
– Tom Lowe
Photo: Flickr