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The document examines the potential for low-carbon technologies to address energy poverty in Africa, highlighting that while grid expansion is suitable for urban areas and some rural zones, off-grid and mini-grid renewables are increasingly viable for remote regions. It identifies significant barriers to adoption, including high upfront capital costs, lack of local technical capacity, and the political influence of fossil fuel reserves. Using Morocco's rural electrification programme as a success story, the briefing argues that low-carbon options must be integrated into broader development objectives—such as job creation for youth, health improvements from reduced air pollution, and national energy self-sufficiency—to become politically and economically competitive.

The document examines Mozambique's transition from aid dependence to potential resource-based sovereignty following the discovery of over 100 trillion cubic feet of natural gas in the Rovuma Basin. It argues that while the 'gas boom' offers a significant opportunity for poverty alleviation and industrialization, the country faces risks of the 'resource curse' and 'Dutch disease' due to high levels of corruption and a history of 'mega-projects' that have failed to provide broad-based benefits. The author emphasizes the need for transparent governance, the renegotiation of inequitable contracts, and a strategic balance between LNG exports and domestic industrial use to ensure tangible benefits for the general population.

The report analyzes President Barack Obama's 2013 visit to Africa, framing it as an effort to shift US-Africa relations from a focus on security and counter-terrorism toward economic growth, trade, and democratic investment. It highlights the competitive pressure from China's dominant trade position and the US's efforts to address energy poverty and youth unemployment through initiatives like YALI and renewable energy financing.

The Lighting a Billion Lives (LaBL) initiative, launched by The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), aims to provide sustainable solar lighting to un-electrified rural areas. In India, the program has reached approximately 500,000 people across 1,860 villages in 22 states. The model relies on local entrepreneurs who manage solar charging stations or DC micro grids, offering lighting via a fee-for-service rental model or through loan-financed enterprises. To ensure sustainability, TERI established 'Energy Enterprises' (Uttam Urja Shops) for after-sales support and product sales, with support from the UK's Department for International Development (DFID) to create over 400 such shops. The initiative has evolved its financing from initial grants to market-based equity and investment models and has expanded its scope to include mobile phone charging, vocational training for women, and conservation activities through various public-private-people partnerships.

The document argues that the global energy system is driven by neoliberalism and extractivism, benefiting a small elite while causing climate devastation and energy poverty. It critiques both fossil fuels and certain 'clean' alternatives—such as mega-dams and industrial biofuels—as destructive. The authors advocate for a decentralized, democratically controlled energy system that prioritizes human rights and ecological limits over corporate profit.

The document argues that the global energy system is unsustainable and unjust, driven by neoliberalism and extractivism. It details the environmental and social harms of fossil fuels, nuclear power, and certain 'clean' alternatives, while warning against 'techno-fixes' and corporate-led transitions. It advocates for a decentralized, democratically controlled system that prioritizes basic human rights to energy and a just transition for workers.

The report assesses the development of a 38.65 ha industrial site in Atlantis for the manufacturing of wind turbine components, photovoltaic (PV) panels, and inverters. While the project is expected to generate significant socio-economic benefits, including up to 6,000 jobs and R6 billion in annual economic contribution, it will result in the permanent loss of endangered Cape Flats Dune Strandveld and critically endangered Atlantis Sand Fynbos. The Environmental Assessment Practitioner (EAP) recommends authorization provided that a biodiversity offset is implemented and an Environmental Management Programme is followed.

The report analyzes the economic, environmental, and social impacts of fossil-fuel subsidies in APEC economies, estimating that consumption subsidies alone cost at least US$105 billion in 2010. It argues that such subsidies are often regressive, benefiting wealthier populations and increasing GHG emissions. The document proposes a three-phase reform framework—research, developing options, and implementation—and details case studies from Australia, Indonesia, Chile, Mexico, Thailand, China, and Russia to illustrate best practices in transparency, targeted social compensation (such as cash transfers), and gradual price deregulation.

The document argues that India's fuel subsidies are fiscally unsustainable and create market distortions. It proposes a phased roadmap to eliminate diesel under-recoveries, phase out LPG subsidies through capping and price increases, and replace PDS kerosene subsidies with targeted cash transfers. To manage the resulting inflationary pressures and political opposition, the brief suggests specific compensation measures for transport sectors and the implementation of a biometric-based cash transfer system for low-income households.

The report examines the high cost of petroleum subsidies in India, specifically for domestic LPG and PDS kerosene, and proposes a transition to direct cash transfers. It highlights significant under-recoveries for oil marketing companies and systemic leakages in the Public Distribution System (PDS). The authors recommend short-term measures such as capping subsidized LPG cylinders and conducting more pilot studies, while proposing long-term reforms including improved BPL surveys, increased financial inclusion, and calibrated price decontrol.

An open letter from Scientists for Global Responsibility to the UK Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change arguing that the Draft Energy Bill and current energy policies are unambitious and biased toward the nuclear industry at the expense of renewables and energy efficiency.

The Green Economy Coalition supports the UN's Sustainable Energy for All (SE4ALL) initiative but argues it requires more ambition and a specific focus on energy equity. The authors contend that universal energy access is a prerequisite for achieving Millennium Development Goals, particularly in health and education. They advocate for a strategy that prioritises the poorest, measures success through development outcomes rather than infrastructure metrics, and promotes community-led stewardship of local resources. While acknowledging the role of the private sector, the document emphasizes that reaching the most impoverished will require significant public sector and NGO involvement, as 'base of the pyramid' business models often overlook the absolute poorest.

The report argues that many climate-economics models rely on a 'no-development' assumption for the poorest countries, which underestimates future emissions and weakens the urgency for rich countries to reduce their own emissions. By comparing three scenarios—'Without Development', 'Development with Carbon', and 'Development without Carbon'—the author demonstrates that if low-income countries achieve rapid economic growth similar to India's, the global emissions budget will be exhausted much faster unless aggressive decarbonization policies and financial support from wealthy nations are implemented. A case study of Latin America and the Caribbean illustrates these dynamics, showing that cumulative regional emissions could double if growth accelerates without policy intervention.

The report argues that many climate-economics models rely on overly pessimistic growth projections for the poorest countries, which artificially reduces the perceived urgency for rich countries to cut emissions. By comparing three scenarios—'Without Development', 'Development with Carbon', and 'Development without Carbon'—the author demonstrates that if low-income countries achieve genuine economic development, the global emissions budget will be exceeded unless aggressive decarbonization policies and financial support from high-income nations are implemented. A case study of Latin America and the Caribbean illustrates how regional emissions could double under a high-growth, no-policy scenario, but could be significantly reduced through targeted support for low-carbon technology and emissions intensity reductions.

The document examines the evolving India-Africa partnership, highlighting energy as a primary driver due to India's rising import dependency. It details India's diversification strategy across coal, oil, natural gas, and uranium, while arguing that the relationship extends beyond energy into trade, defence, and capacity building. The analysis contrasts India's approach with that of China and the West, emphasizing the need for sustainable energy governance to avoid the 'resource curse' and energy poverty in Africa.

The report documents a 2010 conference of the South African Civil Society Energy Caucus, focusing on the lack of transparency and public participation in the development of the second Integrated Resource Plan (IRP2). It critiques the government's continued reliance on coal and nuclear power, highlighting the failures of the Pebble Bed Modular Reactor (PBMR) and the environmental risks of radioactive waste in the Witwatersrand goldfields. The document advocates for a 'just transition' toward renewable energy, specifically wind and solar, while calling for an independent system operator to resolve conflicts of interest within Eskom.

The document defines environmental justice as the right to healthy living environments and a fair share of nature's benefits. It argues that the poorest populations are disproportionately affected by environmental damage and climate change, while the wealthiest are most responsible. Friends of the Earth advocates for 'climate justice,' where rich countries lead in carbon cuts and fund adaptation for poorer nations. The text highlights specific case studies of its work, including fighting oil pollution in Nigeria, uranium mining in Australia, and urban planning issues in the UK.

The briefing concludes that the European Parliament's proposals to require Member States to implement national financial incentives and for the Commission to propose Community financial instruments are legally acceptable, though they may face political opposition due to perceived infringements on national sovereignty.

The author contends that while increasing Eskom's electricity tariffs may cause short-term inflation, failing to do so will lead to chronic power shortages and rolling black-outs that will be more inflationary and disproportionately harm the poor. The text suggests that the current crisis stems from unsustainably low electricity prices and a failure to invest in infrastructure. To mitigate the impact on vulnerable populations, the author proposes targeted protections such as price discrimination and free basic energy, while urging the government to invest in job-intensive renewable energy sources, potentially funded by international carbon credits.

The document identifies approximately 2 million mobile homes built before 1976 as the "worst housing stock" in the U.S., noting they are energy-inefficient and often house low-income, elderly, or disabled residents. It highlights that these structures are often ineligible for traditional weatherization programs and proposes the Energy Efficient Manufactured Housing Act of 2009 to provide rebates for ENERGY STAR qualified homes. The text details the differences between mobile, manufactured, and modular homes, and provides demographic data on residents of pre-1980 manufactured housing.