Permanently Temporary

Currently, the average time refugees spend living in temporary camps is 17 years. The duration in which refugees remain in camps and settlements has been steadily increasing for years.  With the average time period increasing, it may be beneficial for these camps to consider transitioning, or prepare for permanent communities.  UNHCR has already addressed that refugee camps need to become more sustainable and develop more long-term plans in order to become truly successful. There are plans to integrate refugees into host communities in order to benefit both the refugees and the host community’s economy; however, steps must first be taken to improve existing infrastructure in these camps.

Access to modern forms of energy is either extremely difficult or completely non-existent in most refugee camps.  Nine out of ten refugees live in settlements that lack access to electricity, and most do not have light at night.  Those that are forcibly displaced are part of the 2.9 billion living in energy poverty around the world.  In order to prepare these settlements to become more than just temporary places to stay, sustainable electricity and energy sources must be provided.

This undertaking would require a large investment by humanitarian agencies. These organizations do not have budgets to handle an effort of this magnitude, for they tend to focus spending on short-term solutions, rather than long-term planning. UNHCR and similar organizations must develop ways of working that emphasize the future of refugee camps. Until more long-term goals are implemented, temporary settlements miss out on benefits that are created when sustainable energy types are introduced.

Benefits of introducing sustainable energy to refugee settlements include environmental factors, security, health, livelihood, and economic factors.  The host populations that support these settlements are also positively affected by the installation of sustainable energy sources.  Some of these benefits are shown by an example in which efficient and environmentally friendly cook-stoves were given to refugees to replace traditional methods of cooking.  The environment surrounding the camps benefited from these cook-stoves because 30-70% less firewood was required compared to regular methods.  It is healthier to use these stoves as well, because acute respiratory infections are much less likely to occur since there is a reduction in the amount of smoke that forms.  Women and children are safer with these cook-stoves because the responsibility of gathering firewood normally falls on them, and they must often travel long distances in unsafe surroundings. The amount of time spent collecting firewood in a survey of 100 households that received these cook-stoves fell from 1,659 hours to 732 hours per month; this allows women and children to spend their time more effectively and reduces vulnerability. The list of benefits that are experienced from introducing sustainable energy to refugee settlements continues to grow as technology also improves.