Lifting People Out of Poverty

Access to energy, especially electricity, is an essential human right.

Energy poverty is a significant issue that affects millions of people worldwide. It is estimated that about 1 billion people lack access to electricity, while millions more have unreliable power, with the majority living in developing countries (World Bank, 2020). Without access to reliable electricity, people are forced to rely on traditional sources of energy, such as wood and charcoal, which are often expensive, polluting, and harmful to human health.

As the global population rises and economic development expands, demand for energy will continue to grow significantly. According to the International Energy Agency, global energy demand is expected to increase by nearly 25% by 2040 (IEA, 2020). However, it is crucial to address energy poverty without exacerbating climate change. In our view, the use of coal—which is the most polluting fossil fuel—simply must be reduced, and cleaner alternatives rapidly adopted.

EQT Corporation’s Unleashing USLNG proposal highlights the potential of USLNG exports to help address energy poverty in developing countries. The EQT proposal advocates for the United States to become a major supplier of USLNG to nations currently reliant on coal for electricity generation. By replacing coal with USLNG, these countries can reduce their GHG emissions and improve air quality, while also providing reliable and affordable energy for their citizens. To achieve this objective, the proposal calls for investment in domestic and global gas infrastructure—such as LNG terminals and pipelines—to ensure that the benefits of USLNG are accessible to more people.

Along with renewables and energy conservation, USLNG can provide a reliable, low-carbon electricity system and clean energy for homes and factories in developing nations, thus contributing to global efforts to combat energy poverty and climate change.

References:

EQT. (n.d.). Unleashing USLNG. Retrieved from https://www.eqt.com/unleashinguslng/

International Energy Agency. (2020). World Energy Outlook 2020. Retrieved from https://www.iea.org/reports/world-energy-outlook-2020.

World Bank. (2020). Electrification Data. Retrieved from https://datacatalog.worldbank.org/dataset/electrification-data.