Energy in the COVID-19 Humanitarian Response

The COVID-19 pandemic presents unique risks to the world's 70.8m forcibly displaced people, who are often living in densely populated settlements with poor public services, in which highly communicable diseases can spread quickly. The investment in achieving SDG7 (access to affordable, reliable, sustainable energy for all) during the humanitarian response to the COVID-19 pandemic continues to be important as a means to help mitigate infection risks (for example through providing sufficient and clean water) and improve the medical response (for example through securing cool chains). It also enables affected populations to become more resilient when facing the severe economic crisis that will result from the pandemic.

Access to modern energy is an 'enabler' of all humanitarian and development goals. Electricity is needed to power public services, businesses, and household appliances. Fuel efficient cooking solutions can help to save time and reduce protection risks by minimising the need to gather firewood, while clean fuels can help to reduce household air pollution and thus the threat of developing chronic respiratory symptoms. 

In response, the GPA Partnership developed a briefing note to outline the relevance of energy within the global humanitarian response to COVID-19. Our aim is to communicate how providing clean and reliable energy, when responding to COVID-19 and similar diseases in the future, can bring short-term and long-term benefits to the displaced and local communities.

The note can be found here: Briefing Note on Sustainable Energy in the COVID-19 Humanitarian Response

Last updated: 09/06/2021