A new publication ‘Energy access realities in urban poor communities of developing countries assessments and recommendations’ has been released by the GNESD network as a result of its Urban Peri Urban Energy Access (UPEA) Phase III work. The study comes at a time when more than half of the world’s population lives in urban areas and while about 75% of the world’s consumption of commercial energy contributes to urban areas, many of those in direst need of access to modern energy systems are located in rapidly growing informal urban settlements in developing countries.
The study, authored by Rozita Singh, Xiao Wang, Emmanuel Ackom and Juan Reyes, identifies the specific demand- and supply-side barriers to energy access, analyses urban and energy policies, and recommends operational measures to address these barriers. The study also identifies potential solutions and good practices that have improved energy access in some way or another in these urban settlements.
The study is significant as it offers policy-makers and supply agencies a comprehensive view of the clean energy access situation in urban and peri-urban areas and provides policy suggestions for improvements. One of the key points to take from this study has been the recognition of the importance of issues and policies beyond energy, which are equally critical for addressing barriers to energy access.
GNESD is a UNEP-facilitated network of Centres of Excellence dedicated to improving energy access for the poor in developing countries, and helping those countries with energy access policy recommendations to achieve their Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). The current member Centres of Excellence from developing and emerging economies include China, India, Thailand, Brazil, Argentina, Mexico, South Africa, Kenya, Senegal, and Tunisia.