UN-Habitat Intersection and Interests with Energy and Millennium Development Goal Implementation  The energy sector’s links with other sectors further contribute to economic growth that is central to sustained poverty reduction. Widening access to energy services for the poor is a means of supporting overall development through income and employment generation, as well as for social benefits. Access to energy services therefore supports overall development, in addition to being an end in itself. Improving and extending access to energy services, including through expanding access to electricity and household fuels, benefits the urban and rural poor and is essential for achieving the MDGs. Adequate and timely measures to minimize the present environmental and health hazards related to energy supply and use will also contribute to achieving sustainable development goals and the MDGs. Financial resources currently available for expanding energy investments and services in developing countries are not sufficient. Resource needs account for a much larger share of developing countries’ GDP compared to OECD countries, and this is a factor for consideration in development planning and cost analysis. Linking energy planning to goals and priorities in other sectors, and sustaining commitment at the national level to sound energy sector management and governance is key. This commitment is a prerequisite for a well-performing energy sector equipped to address pressing economic, social and environmental needs, and efforts to reflect it in poverty reduction strategies and in national MDG frameworks and campaigns would have positive impacts.
GOAL 1: Eradicate Extreme Poverty and hunger
Energy inputs such as electricity and fuels are essential to generate jobs, industrial activities, transportation, commerce and micro-enterprises.
Almost all staple foods must be cooked, requiring heat and fuels to be compatible with human nutrition
GOAL 2: Achieve Universal Primary Education
To attract teachers, electricity is needed for homes and schools. After dark study requires illumination. Many children, especially girls, do not attend school in order to carry wood and water to wood and other energy sources to meet the family’s energy needs.  GOAL 3: Promote Gender Equality and Empower women
Adult women are responsible for the majority of household cooking and water boiling activities. This takes time away form other productive activities. With modern fuels, stoves and mechanical power for food processing and transportation, women’s time would be freed up for more productive uses.
GOAL 4: Reduce Child Mortality
Diseases caused by lack of clean boiled water and respiratory illness caused by the effects of indoor air pollution from traditional fuels and stoves, directly contribute to infant and child disease and mortality. GOAL 5: Improve Maternal Health
Lack of electricity in health clinics, illumination for nighttime deliveries and the physical burden of fuel collection and transport by pregnant women all contribute to poor maternal health conditions. Goal 6: Combat HIV/AIDS, Malaria and Other Diseases
Electricity for communication of radio and television can foster the delivery of proper public health information to combat disease. Health care facilities require electricity for illumination, refrigeration and sterilization to deliver effective health services. Goal 7: Ensure Environmental Sustainability
Energy production, distribution and consumption has many adverse environmental effects at the local, regional and global levels including indoor air pollution in slum communities, land degradation and global warming. Cleaner energy systems are needed to address all of these for environmental sustainability. Goal 8: Develop a global partnership for development
The World Summit for Sustainable Development (WSSD) called for partnerships between public entities, development agencies, civil society and the private sector to support sustainable development including the delivery of affordable, reliable and environmentally sustainable energy services.
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The Energy Challenge for Achieving the Millennium Goals