Universal access to modern energy (SDG 7) is integral to child survival (SDG 3), yet large deficits persist in electricity and clean-cooking services across low- and middle-income countries. Electricity supports essential health services and vaccine cold chains, while clean cooking reduces household air pollution – a major risk factor for early-life illness and death. It remains unclear, however, which access lever, electricity or clean cooking, delivers larger under-five mortality across regions, and whether prioritizing the poorest countries outperforms uniform expansion.
