Expert Workshop on Energy Access and Climate Mitigation: Synergies and Trade-offs

The workshop concluded that low-carbon options have not yet fundamentally changed the barriers to energy access in Africa, such as high supply costs and weak financing. Participants argued that energy access must be framed as a tool for inclusive development rather than just a grid connection, and that national governments must lead the transition by creating enabling environments and sustainable business models. While the emissions impact of basic energy access is considered negligible, there is a call for stronger evidence linking low-carbon pathways to job creation to convince policymakers.

• Low-carbon options have not yet fundamentally altered the primary barriers to expanding modern energy access in Africa. These persistent obstacles include high costs for rural supply, a lack of reliable financing, weak implementing capacity, and low consumer ability to pay.
• To effectively utilize low-carbon options, energy access must be redefined beyond simple grid connections to a systemic approach focused on inclusive development and productive uses of energy.
• There is a significant lack of convincing evidence to persuade policymakers of the benefits of low-carbon pathways, particularly regarding job creation and the reduction of indoor air pollution.
• The emissions impact of providing basic energy access is generally negligible, meaning low-carbon options are typically only attractive to decision-makers when they are cheaper than conventional fossil fuel alternatives.
• National governments must take a central leadership role by providing strong commitment, budget allocations, and regulatory frameworks to mainstream low-carbon energy access, as donor funding alone is insufficient for universal access.
• Scaling up low-carbon technologies is hindered by weak financial institutions in developing countries and a lack of long-term perspectives on technology transfer, including maintenance and local capacity.
• Transitioning to a low-carbon future requires overcoming deeply entrenched vested interests, particularly those tied to the economic revenues of fossil fuel extraction industries.

APA

Jürisoo, M., Pachauri, S., Lambe, F., & Johnson, O. (2014). Expert Workshop on Energy Access and Climate Mitigation: Synergies and Trade-offs. Stockholm Environment Institute. https://www.sei.org/mediamanager/documents/Projects/Climate/SEI-IIASA-Workshop-report-2014-energy-access-climate-Africa.pdf

Chicago

Jürisoo, Marie, Shonali Pachauri, Fiona Lambe, and Oliver Johnson. Expert Workshop on Energy Access and Climate Mitigation: Synergies and Trade-offs. Stockholm Environment Institute, 2014. https://www.sei.org/mediamanager/documents/Projects/Climate/SEI-IIASA-Workshop-report-2014-energy-access-climate-Africa.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Jürisoo |first1=Marie |last2=Pachauri |first2=Shonali |last3=Lambe |first3=Fiona |last4=Johnson |first4=Oliver |title=Expert Workshop on Energy Access and Climate Mitigation: Synergies and Trade-offs |publisher=Stockholm Environment Institute |date=2014 |url=https://www.sei.org/mediamanager/documents/Projects/Climate/SEI-IIASA-Workshop-report-2014-energy-access-climate-Africa.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{jrisoo2014expert, author = {Jürisoo, Marie and Pachauri, Shonali and Lambe, Fiona and Johnson, Oliver}, title = {{Expert Workshop on Energy Access and Climate Mitigation: Synergies and Trade-offs}}, institution = {Stockholm Environment Institute}, year = {2014}, url = {https://www.sei.org/mediamanager/documents/Projects/Climate/SEI-IIASA-Workshop-report-2014-energy-access-climate-Africa.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }