Unit 5 - Social Implications

Question 1

How many people have no access to electricity?

How many people rely on traditional biomass for basic needs?

Answer 1

1. 3 billion people do not have access to electricity
2. 7 billion people rely on traditional biomass

(WorldBank, 2014)

Question 2

What is the definition of indoor air pollution?

Answer 2

A situation in which substances that result from anthropogenic activities are present at concentrations sufficiently high above their normal ambient levels to produce a measurable effect on humans, animals, vegetation or materials.

Question 3

Which smoke and toxic substances are released by combustion of traditional solid fuels like wood, charcoal and dung?

Answer 3

• sulfur oxides (SOx)
• nitrogen oxides (NOx)
• volatile organic compounds (VOCs)
• particulate matter (pm)
• carbon monoxide (CO)

Question 4

What are negative health impacts of IAP?

Answer 4

• pneumonia
• chronic respiratory disease
• lung cancer
• adverse pregnancy outcomes (lower IQ, lower neurodevelopmental performance)

> > DEATH - 5% of all deaths in LDCs could be due to traditional solid fuels (WHO, 2006)

Question 5

Estimated number of deaths due to IAP

Answer 5

WHO+UNDP = 2 million people
IEA = 2 million people, much more than malaria and TB

Question 6

There are 2 major health impacts of fossil fuels:

Answer 6

1. Outdoor air pollution

2. Climate change

Question 7

Outdoor air pollution

Answer 7

1. Transboundary air pollution (Or cross boundary)
2. Sulfur Oxide
3. smoke + fog = smog (warm/sunny days, tropospheric ozone undergoes a photochemical reaction in the athmosphere)
4. Oxides of nitrogen
5. pm’s = affect cardiovascular and respiratory systems, exacerbate asthma and increase in mortality.
6. hydrocarbons - genotoxic carcinogens
7. CO - forms carbonxyhaemoglobin (in people) which reduces oxygenation of blood and tissue.
8. ozone - irritation to the eyes and damanges the respiratory tract, triggers inflammatory responses

Question 8

CC and health impacts (9x)

Answer 8

1. Heat and cold related impacts
2. Extreme weather events
3. Ultraviolet radiation

Ecosystem mediated impacts:
4 vector borne and other infectious diseases (malaria, dengue, tick etc)
5 food- and waterborne diseases
6 deterioration of air quality

Also:

7. Exacerbate pre-existing human health problems
8. Existing diseases are likely to extend their range into new areas
9. New conditions (diseases) may arise

Question 9

Social impacts of hydro power

Answer 9

1. Displacement
2. Resettlement
3. Effect livelihoods and lifestyles
   - loss of livelihood
   - rises in unemployment
   - decreased income
   - insufficient land for subsistence farming
   - Loss of cultural and social roots (mental stress, increased depression)
4. Compensation is too low, not equally distributed and to late
5. Lower standard of living
6. Total disregard of rights, identity and culture
7. Downstream change of water flows.

Question 10

What are teh social and health implications of nuclear energy?

Answer 10

• nuclear radiation - increased occurance of cancer
• radioactive waste - also contains carcinogenic substances
• nuclear accidents

Question 11

Social opportunities - how modern energy improves the living standards?

Answer 11

1. Overcoming fuel wood collection (reduce sexual violence, theft, murder
2. Eduction ( study after dark, provide electricity to schools)
3. Income generating opportunities
4. Increased well-being
5. Improved living conditions

Question 12

What means “productive use of energy”

Answer 12

1. Using energy for income generating purposes

2. Using energy for a wider set of welfare-related activities such as healthcare and education.

Question 13

Access to modern energy improves the lives and livelihoods of people living in energy poverty

Answer 13

• countries with higher incomes tend to have higher electricity rates (GNI/capita compared to electrification rates)
• there is a correlation between the HDI and the EDI
• there is a relationship between national electricity consumption and antional economic growth
• however locally this could not be confirmed, like the link with education and energy access.

Question 14

What are the health efects of oxies of nitrogen?

Answer 14

• Inflammation of the respiratory tract
• affects lung function
• exacerbates the response to allergens
• acid percipitation, which results in:
  > ecological damage
  > acidification of lakes
  > drinking water
  > food chains
  > recreational activities (polluted)

Question 15

What is the effect of access to electricity on income?

Answer 15

At National level (Yoo and Kwak, 2010): relationship between e-consumption and economic growth at a aggregate national level.

At local level

• (Obermaier (2012)): no such link
• (Kooijman-van Dijk, 2012): no such link for small/informal enterprises, however improvement in well-being.

Question 16

What are the 3 key gender implications of energy and development?

Answer 16

1. Disproportionately affected by energy poverty and lack of access to modern energy
2. Usually make the key decisions about energy use, choice of fuel, quantity and cooking methods
3. Gender concerns need to be integrated in energy planning (gender mainstreaming), including gender indicators in impact assessments and designing approaches for increasing the emancipation of women/girls with regards to energy use and energy access.