Around the world, one out of every five people doesn’t have electricity in their homes. Almost two out of every five rely on wood or other biomass for cooking or heating. Lack of access to energy in households and communities threatens the achievement of pretty much every one of the Millennium Development Goals that the international community has set to fight poverty, hunger, and disease.

Achieving universal energy access is an ambitious goal, but it’s not out of reach.  And guess what? Supporting renewable energy is one of the best ways to help achieve it. Solar panels, wind turbines, and mini-hydropower all work really well in rural areas where there’s no electricity grid – where many people who lack electricity access live.

The World Bank Group – an international institution that receives taxpayer money – can be influential in directing energy funding towards clean energy investments that increase energy access. You can read more here about the World Bank and its Energy Strategy, which once approved will serve as a guide for the institution’s energy investments. You can also learn more about energy access by reading our report, Energy Access for the Poor?.

Take action!