Page - 24 - in Clean Water Using Solar and Wind - Outside the Power Grid

24 Clean Water Using Solar and Wind: Outside the Power Grid transient or sustained water scarcity with limited or non-existent grids”. Desalination is reviewed in Chapter 5 and solar PV and wind are further described in Chapters 8–10. A word of caution may be expressed here. There is no mechanism to force governments or organisations to implement the SDGs. A key condition is how financing is going to be realised. Here it is crucial how international organisations like the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund and various development funds act. This is well described by the term Washington Consensus, first used in 1989 by English economist John Williamson (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ Washington_Consensus). 2.2 PUBLIC HEALTH, GENDER ISSUES AND EDUCATION Renewable energy can provide the basic energy needs in homes. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that more than four million people die prematurely each year because of indoor air pollution, caused by cooking with traditional biomass and inefficient stoves. In addition, the use of kerosene lamps for lighting further contributes to health hazards and accident risks, such as burns. The positive health effects of using renewable energy should be recognised. Satisfying energy needs has also a gender perspective as the health hazards in traditional households mostly affect women. Furthermore, if available, electric power can bring water close to the home and will also improve quality of life for women and girls, who are mostly responsible for bringing home water. Modern renewable energy can also reduce or eliminate the time required to gather firewood. This reduces unsustainable biomass harvesting but it also gives time for, primarily, women and girls to pursue education or generate some income for the family. With renewables available, electric lighting can be provided at home and in schools, so education is profoundly influenced. Every year more than four million people die prematurely because of indoor air pollution. Downloaded from https://iwaponline.com/ebooks/book-pdf/520710/wio9781780409443.pdf by IWA Publishing user