Publications
Partnerships for Universal Access to Modern Energy Services (UNESCAP, December 2013)
Energy poverty lack of access to electricity and reliance on traditional fuels for cooking and heating remains an enduring problem. more
Financing renewable energy in developing countries: Drivers and barriers for private finance in sub-Saharan Africa (UNEP, February 2012)
This report from the UNEP Finance Initiative, outlines how current obstacles to the scaling-up of sustainable energy solutions in Africa - such as the cost of electricity generation or difficult gr more
Poor people’s energy outlook 2012 (UNDP, January 2012)
This second edition of the Poor people's energy outlook (PPEO) shines a spotlight on energy access and its impact on the ability of the world's poorest people to earn a decent living. more
Energy Poverty: How to make modern energy access universal? (UNDP, August 2010)
It is an alarming fact that today - in the 21st century - there are still billions of people without more
Delivering on Energy (UNE, February 2010)
It is clear that energy is central to sustainable development and is intrinsically linked to a number of major global challenges such as poverty, security and climate change. The current energy landscape, however, is inadequate for fully addressing those issues. more
UN-Energy - Looking to the Future (UNE, February 2010)
There is an emerging consensus on the diversity and complex nature of key energy issues, and the requirement to look at them in a holistic manner. This consensus should be considered as an excellent opportunity for leadership. more
Restoring Balance: Bangladesh's Rural Energy Realities (WBG, December 2009)
Rural energy’s importance to the Bangladesh economy cannot be underestimated. The problems rural people face in obtaining safe, clean, and reliable energy supplies are not minor inconveniences. People are cooking with biomass fuels including large amounts of leaves and grass that expose them harmful indoor air pollution. They light with kerosene or sometimes candles which give off a dim light that hampers studying and reading in the evening. Finally, rural productivity suffers because of lack of access to modern energy. However, the picture also is not all bleak. more
The energy access situation in developing countries: A review focusing on the LDCs and Sub-Saharan Africa (UNDP, December 2008)
A joint publication between UNDP and WHO, this report takes stock of the current energy access situation in developing countries. It covers a range of energy access data available from developing countries that is not currently accessible in one report and, at the same time, is also often neglected in global energy discussions. A broad range of energy access data is critical not only to understand countries’ energy access situation but also for developing policies and programmes that address energy poverty and for financing the expansion of access to modern energy services. Read more more
Expanding Energy Access in Developing Countries: The Role of Mechanical Power (UNDP, December 2008)
This report, which is a product of joint work between UNDP and Practical Action, highlights the contribution of mechanical power to energy access in developing countries. It recommends that mechanical power as an energy service should be given the same consideration as other modern energy services by policy makers/practitioners responsible for improving energy access to poor communities worldwide. Read Full-Text of Report more
Residential Electricity Subsidies in Mexico: Exploring Options for Reform and for Enhancing the Impact on the Poor (WBG, December 2008)
Large and growing subsidies to residential consumers in Mexico have become a major policy concern. This report explains the growth of subsidies, the current distribution of subsidies across income classes, and uses utility and household survey data to simulate how alternative subsidy mechanisms could improve distributional and fiscal performance. The goal is to help inform discussion in Mexico about how to reduce subsidies and redirect them toward the poor. The findings also offer lessons for other countries that are planning tariff reforms in their electricity sectors. Read more more