Energy is fundamental to human health, supporting everything from food safety to essential healthcare services such as powering medical equipment and vaccine refrigeration. Still, in many low- and middle-income countries, persistent energy poverty forces households to rely on biomass fuels which can leave health facilities without reliable electricity and contribute to harmful air pollution.

Researchers and scientists alike note that there is currently a historic opportunity to improve health and wellbeing by reducing energy poverty through a clean energy transition. Expanding access to clean, affordable and reliable energy could deliver major public health and development benefits, while also supporting climate mitigation and adaptation strategies.

This paper serves as an introduction to a series of papers that examines the deep connections between energy and health in low- and middle-income countries. This series highlights both the challenges of continued dependence on biomass and fossil fuels, and the opportunities that could advance equitable, sustainable energy transitions, improving human health and wellbeing alike.