Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL), an international organization hosted by the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS), has released two key knowledge reports covering South Asia: Climate Finance for Powering Healthcare and Climate Resilience and Powering Healthcare in the Global South.

Launched in 2011 by former United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, SEforALL works to eradicate energy poverty, scale up renewable energy adoption, and combat climate change. Its CEO also serve as the Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Sustainable Energy for All and as Co-Chairs of UN-Energy.

Operating in close collaboration with the United Nations, SEforALL partners with governments, private sector leaders, financial institutions, civil society, and philanthropic organizations to drive energy and climate progress globally.

According to a joint report by the World Health Organization (WHO), the World Bank, SEforALL, and the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), nearly 1 billion people in low- and lower-middle-income countries rely on healthcare facilities that either lack electricity access entirely or suffer from unreliable supply. 

This energy deficiency, according to the report, severely hampers the delivery of essential services such as clean water and the operation of medical equipment critical for vaccinations, childbirth, and emergency care. Reliable electrification is thus a fundamental requirement for achieving universal health coverage.

“Moreover, for many health centers in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia with some access to electricity, diesel is often used as the primary (and secondary) source of electricity,” the report added. “This entails negative climate impacts and exposes the facilities to high fuel costs and energy security concerns. It is estimated that roughly $5 billion USD is required to electrify health institutions across the Global South in a sustainable and climate friendly manner.”

The two new SEforALL reports were led by Rahul Srinivasan, Senior Energy Specialist at the organization, who oversees projects and global partnerships at the intersection of energy, health, and climate across the Global South.

Speaking to South Asian Herald, Srinivasan said, “The Climate Finance for Powering Healthcare features case studies from India, Nigeria, and Nepal, making a compelling case for low-carbon, climate-resilient investments in healthcare energy systems in South Asia and beyond.”

He explained that the report quantifies both climate mitigation and adaptation benefits highlighting, for instance, that deploying solar photovoltaic systems in Indian healthcare facilities could generate annual savings of $125–207 million and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 0.29–0.5 MtCO₂.

The report also identifies potential sources of climate finance, including green bonds, renewable energy certificates, and global climate funds. It offers practical guidance for governments and stakeholders on how to tap into these financing mechanisms to close the investment gap in powering healthcare systems. 

“It provides a clear roadmap for governments and stakeholders in South Asia and beyond to integrate climate finance into health sector energy planning and operations,” he added.

The second report, Climate Resilience and Powering Healthcare in the Global South, launched in February 2025 in Nairobi, Kenya, draws on case studies from India, Kenya, and Barbados. It explores how climate-related disruptions affect energy supply and alter energy demand in healthcare settings. [Watch the Launch Video here]. 

Srinivasan, a recognized expert and speaker on energy access, the energy-health-climate nexus, renewables, and sustainability, highlighted that, “In India alone, 19 per cent of public healthcare facilities are at high or very high risk from drought, flooding, or cyclones.”

“Making these facilities climate-resilient through solutions like energy-efficient fans, solar refrigerators, and cool roofs, would require an estimated $54 million,” he said underscoring that the report provides actionable recommendations for governments and sector partners to enhance the resilience of energy infrastructure across the Global South.

Before joining SEforALL, Srinivasan worked at the World Bank, where he co-led the Efficient, Clean Cooling program under the Energy Sector Management Assistance Program (ESMAP), focusing on sustainable cold chains for both health and agriculture sectors. He was also a key member of the World Bank’s COVID-19 Global Vaccine Delivery Taskforce, which supported the deployment of energy-efficient cold chains in low- and middle-income countries.

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