by Joanna B Pinneo, Communications Manager, Solar Sister
Imagine lying down on a cold winter night with just the right blanket thickness over you. It keeps you warm and snug, not too hot or too cold. This is essentially what our planet has been doing for millions of years, with its own “blanket” of greenhouse gases.
The Earth has mechanisms to keep itself comfortable and balanced. One such mechanism is the greenhouse effect, brought about by our planet’s natural “blanket” of greenhouse gases, including carbon dioxide, methane, and others. This blanket retains a portion of the Sun’s warmth, ensuring Earth remains habitable and cozy enough for us and countless other species.
The scenario has changed dramatically over the past two centuries. With the Industrial Revolution and our increasing dependency on fossil fuels such as coal, oil, and gas, we’ve inadvertently added layers to this blanket. Each time we burn these fuels for energy, transportation, or heating, we release more greenhouse gases. To compound the problem, we’ve rapidly reduced the Earth’s forests, which absorb many of these gases.
So, what happens when this blanket becomes too thick?
The answer is simple: The Earth gets too warm. This phenomenon is what we commonly refer to as ‘global warming.’ As the blanket thickens, it traps more heat, causing the planet’s average temperature to rise. This shift in temperature doesn’t just mean warmer days; it catalyzes a chain of events that influence the fabric of our planet’s climate.
It’s essential to understand that climate change isn’t just about warmer temperatures; it’s about a fundamental shift in the planet’s climatic patterns, impacting every facet of life on Earth.
From the melting ice caps of the Arctic to the intensifying hurricanes in the Atlantic, the symptoms of this warming are all too evident. Coastal cities are now more prone to flooding due to rising sea levels. Deserts are expanding, and rainfall patterns are becoming more erratic, leading to prolonged droughts in some regions and flash floods in others. Entire ecosystems are threatened, and many species risk extinction if we don’t act quickly.
So, it is a matter of a contest between human beings and physics. Physics sets the deadline. Physics doesn’t care about all of our excuses and shifting blame. As a non-scientist, I call this particular physics “Mother Nature.” I am reminded of the Chiffon Margarine commercial from the 1970s, where the female character Mother Nature tastes the margarine and thinks it is butter. When told it is not butter, she sternly says, “It’s not nice to fool Mother Nature,” then, an elephant charges out of the jungle.
We are tampering with Mother Nature in our attempts to manage our planet and its resources. While it is okay to responsibly use what we have and take care of it, the systematic and continued abuse of our planet has riled her up.
This year is likely the hottest year yet recorded. It’s hotter than it has ever been in human history. Currently, thirty million people are living in extreme heat, and 489,000 die annually from the heat. (Jeff Goodell, The Heat Will Kill You First).
“This is a truly remarkable moment for our planet. Out of control, massive wildfires, heatwaves, and record temperatures for Africa and other locations. Dry places dry out and catch on fire, and wet areas flood as we have never seen before. Scientists told us this would happen if we didn’t get off oil and gas more than thirty years ago. This should not come as a surprise,” writes author and environmentalist Bill McKibben.
We will likely surpass the 1.5-degree Celsius mark in the coming year, at least temporarily. A recent analysis suggests that should current emission levels persist, there’s a fifty percent likelihood of the global yearly average temperature increasing by 1.5 degrees Celsius within the next six years. The question remains: will we in the “Global North,” who bear the greatest responsibility for climate change, take decisive action to reverse this trend, or will we remain passive observers?
“People do not realize the implications this has for quite a large majority of the world’s population,” says Adelle Thomas, a senior fellow at the University of the Bahamas and vice chair of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Working Group II, which focuses on climate change impacts and adaptation. (Scientific American, Amy Martin, 11/20/2023)
During the 2015 Paris Conference, individuals from the least developed nations, often called the ‘Global South,’ united under the rallying cry of ‘One point five to stay alive.’ These countries, characterized by minimal emissions but high susceptibility to climate hazards, contributed insignificantly to the climate crisis yet experience its effects most acutely and severely. On the other hand, the ‘Global North,’ which includes the more developed and industrialized nations, bears the greatest responsibility for climate change due to its historically high emissions.
Despite its limited contribution to global warming, Africa is significantly affected by this phenomenon: Currently, 17 out of the 20 countries most threatened by climate change are located in Africa, and climate change already impacts 2 to 9 percent of national budgets across the continent (UN Economic Commission for Africa).
On the first day of COP28 last year, held in the United Arab Emirates, a controversial location, a landmark deal was reached to finance aid for countries heavily affected by climate calamities, starting with an initial investment of $429 million. The Climate Loss and Damage Funding must be quick to access, unlike the Global Climate Fund, which was slow to be established and still slow to be released.
Africa’s Potential
At the Africa Climate Summit last year, Kenyan President Ruto gave an inspiring address on the readiness and potential of renewable energy in Kenya and the African continent.
“We have ample renewable energy potential and the natural assets and resources to green our own consumption but also to meaningly contribute to the carbonization of the global economy.”
Africa, less reliant on fossil fuels than other regions, holds an impressive 60% of the world’s renewable energy potential and is rich in essential minerals for clean energy. This green energy potential positions the continent as a leader in sustainable, low-carbon development. The continent has the opportunity to grow in a way that’s not just climate-friendly but also sustainable and low in carbon emissions.
In the next thirty years, one out of four people on this planet will live in Africa. It is a young population that will do a lot to shape the future. Nigeria is forecast to have 400 million people and will overtake the United States as the world’s third most populous country. Some experts predict that this upcoming surge in population will place Africa at the forefront of critical contemporary issues such as climate change, the energy transition, and migration.1 The World Bank reports that as many as one million Africans enter the labor force market each month, but fewer than one in four get a formal job.
At Solar Sister, our focus is on Africa’s opportunities and, more specifically, African women. To unlock this tremendous potential, we must use this opportunity to invest in Africa’s vital resource, its women.
Energy poverty, a crisis that quietly covers vast regions of our world, affects women and children most acutely. Imagine the weight of tasks such as spending 10-20 hours a week collecting fuel or young girls trading school time for firewood collection. For countless women, these aren’t mere anecdotes but harsh realities that stifle opportunities and expose them to dangers, from physical attacks during fuel collection treks to inhaling toxic fumes from unsafe cooking methods.
Solar Sister is a positive, ambitious initiative rising against this gloomy backdrop. Rooted in the conviction that energy access, climate challenges, and gender equity are profoundly intertwined, Solar Sister champions a unique approach to combat energy poverty, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa.
Gender Disparity: The Silent Crisis
Solar Sister’s theory of change is based on evidence that energy access, climate change, and gender equity are inextricably connected. Women are overrepresented in informal employment and have fewer opportunities. In 40% of economies, women’s entrepreneurial activity is half or less than half of that of men.
A Fresh Paradigm: Solar Sister’s Woman-Powered Model
Solar Sister’s award-winning model isn’t just a response to the energy crisis—it’s a tribute to female empowerment. Solar Sister challenges conventions by placing women at the forefront of the last-mile energy distribution network. Our methodology is distinctive: we engage women from all walks of life, respecting their unique journeys and circumstances. The focus isn’t on dictating paths but on fostering growth from wherever they are. No matter age, skillset, circumstance, or stage of life, we work with women at their unique starting points instead of telling them how and where to be. We have specific programs that focus on empowering women in vulnerable situations, including the young, refugees, internally displaced persons, or those with disabilities. As a result, Solar Sister Entrepreneurs deliver life-changing clean energy products, like clean cookstoves, to underserved communities and are often the only local sources of clean energy products in last-mile communities.
These Solar Sister Entrepreneurs are not just saleswomen; they are torchbearers of change, often the sole suppliers of clean energy in remote communities. Products like clean cookstoves, which they bring to these areas, have profound implications for health, the environment, and overall quality of life.
Understanding the Last-Mile Communities
So, what defines a ‘last-mile’ community? It’s a delicate interplay of three factors: absence of grid power, dependency on erratic incomes (often seasonal), and geographically remote settings. These communities grapple with a unique trifecta of challenges: energy poverty arising from no grid access, heightened climate change vulnerability due to agricultural dependency, and isolation that hampers technological advancements.
Energy is the heartbeat of daily life, directly influencing income. More impoverished households are disadvantaged, often deprived of power access. As a fallout, many are tethered to using kerosene—a polluting, expensive, and health-damaging alternative. Women, the primary managers of household resources, bear the brunt of these choices, relying on harmful fuels like charcoal and firewood.
Providing business training to women in these communities and bringing clean energy access makes communities, regions, provinces, and countries more resilient and better able to cope with climate fluctuation and population growth. Children will have more access to education because their parents can pay their school fees and they have light to study at night. These same children will grow up to become the future of Africa and grapple with growth and change. Researchers have found that educating girls significantly impacts family size in Africa, as it delays the age of marriage and helps young women space out their children.
Solar Sister Entrepreneurs are helping to rewrite this narrative, reaching these off-grid, rural, last-mile zones. They bring more than just products—they bring light, hope, and a renewed sense of possibility.
Over the next three decades, Africa will be a focal point of growth and transformation. This change is already underway. In September 2023, the African Union joined the Group of 20, positioning Africa to play a more significant role in contemporary geopolitical and economic affairs.
Solar Sister, an organization of African women and men entrepreneurs, is driving business opportunities and providing affordable energy to meet the needs of a growing population. Bridging the gap will require collaboration among governments, private enterprises, and other stakeholders. Investing in people, education, and skills is crucial to unlocking the potential of this youthful population. Solar Sister Entrepreneurs live and work in off-grid, rural, last-mile areas, bringing light, hope, and opportunity to their families and communities.
1 https://www.economist.com/special-report/2020/03/26/africas-population-will-double-by-2050
2. NY Times: https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2023/10/28/world/africa/africa-youth-population.htmll
3. NY Times: https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2023/10/28/world/africa/africa-youth-population.htm