1 in 7 people do not have access to electricity
With a growing world population, this number is projected to remain the same for the next 20 years. Without electricity, most of these people have no other option but to use kerosene lamps to light their homes, this means that over 2 billion people rely on carbon fuels like kerosene for light. Millions more have unreliable and sporadic supply, the electricity grid is growing but is not keeping pace with population growth.
![Map of people (millions) with unreliable and sporadic electricity supply. [REEEP: Renewable Energy & Energy Efficiency Partnership]:](https://static1.squarespace.com/static/552aca94e4b0c75f5b87b0fe/t/577b97d046c3c4b387852e53/1472205059041/Location+of+people+with+unreliable+and+sporadic+electricity+supply)
Map of people (millions) with unreliable and sporadic electricity supply.
[REEEP: Renewable Energy & Energy Efficiency Partnership]:
Why is this a problem?
Health: Kerosene lamps bring with them many sorts of health dangers. The fumes can cause various respiratory diseases and unprotected wicks can cause severe skin burns when touched. Unsupervised containers of kerosene can lead to unintentional ingestion, which is currently the leading cause of child poisoning in the developing world.
Wealth: The cost of kerosene is a poverty trap. Amongst the poorest populations it consumes up to 30% of their income.
Safety: The use of kerosene inside homes can lead to devastating fires when a kerosene lamp is knocked over. Due to overcrowding and the materials used to make homes, the fire can spread quickly and with disastrous effects. Kerosene becomes even more dangerous when adulterated with other fuels, causing a risk of explosion.
Environment: Collectively, kerosene lamps cause 3% of the worlds CO2 emissions and are a significant source of black carbon, with even more intense local warming impact.