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This RMI fact sheet analyzes the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) in the United States, concluding that federal funding is insufficient to cover the energy costs of all eligible low-income families and that significant numbers of eligible households remain unserved due to barriers like lack of awareness and complex application procedures.

This case study describes the installation of an off-grid solar micro-system in the T’boli-Manobo indigenous community of Datal Bonglangon, located in the province of South Cotabato, Philippines. Supported by the Legal Rights and Natural Resources Center (LRC) and Friends of the Earth International, the project aims to achieve energy sovereignty for a community that previously lacked electricity and faced conflicts with industrial plantations and military violence.

This briefing discusses how hybrid clean energy systems—combining local renewable resources like solar with baseload resources like geothermal—can address energy and climate injustices in marginalized communities. It highlights the disproportionate impact of extreme heat and aging gas infrastructure on low-income communities of color and evaluates policy interventions and technical models, such as a geothermal pilot in Massachusetts, to improve energy security and resilience.

This op-ed argues that universal access to electricity is a critical prerequisite for ending poverty and driving socioeconomic development in South Africa. The author contends that the South African government incorrectly defines 'access' as mere physical connection to the grid, ignoring the essential components of affordability and reliability. This narrow focus, combined with an inadequate Free Basic Electricity policy and a cost-recovery model, traps low-income households and small enterprises in poverty by making the electricity needed for economic growth unaffordable.

This fact sheet by the Institute for Economic Justice (IEJ) provides an initial analysis of South Africa's Just Energy Transition Investment Plan (JET-IP), released on 4 November 2022. The IEJ argues that the plan relies too heavily on private finance and loans, which risks increasing national debt, exacerbating energy poverty through 'cost reflective' tariffs, and failing to provide adequate social security for workers in the coal sector.

This report section analyzes the increasing vulnerability of the urban poor to extreme heat across 54 high-impact countries in 2022, highlighting a rise in the population at high risk due to lack of access to cooling.

The People-Centered Accelerator (PCA), a partnership of over 45 organizations, issued a statement prior to the UN High-level Dialogue on Energy calling for a just energy transition centered on gender equality, social inclusion, and women's empowerment to achieve universal sustainable energy access by 2030.

This political statement by Friends of the Earth International advocates for a 'Renewable Energy Plan for a Just Recovery' to make Africa 100% independent in renewable energy by 2050. The plan seeks to address energy poverty, the impacts of climate change, and the economic fallout of the Covid-19 pandemic through community-led energy systems and a transition away from fossil fuels.

The 'Just Recovery Renewable Energy Plan for Africa' by Friends of the Earth Africa proposes a transition to a 100% renewable energy independent continent by 2050. Based on modelling by Dr. Sven Teske, the plan aims to eliminate energy poverty and address the dual crises of climate change and Covid-19 through a people-centred, democratic energy system that prioritises social justice and gender equity over corporate profit.

This discussion brief by the Stockholm Environment Institute examines the intersection of air pollution, gender inequality, social equity, and poverty in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH). It highlights how socio-economic disadvantages increase exposure to pollutants and energy poverty, while noting that air pollution disproportionately affects vulnerable groups such as the elderly, children, and Roma populations. The document advocates for policy responses that address structural drivers of inequity, improve energy efficiency in social housing, and utilize disaggregated data to protect the most vulnerable.

This briefing by the Public Affairs Research Institute examines the failure of the South African government to provide affordable electricity to low-income households despite the Energy Act of 1998. It highlights the systemic failure of the Free Basic Electricity (FBE) policy, where national budget allocations for poor households are not reaching the intended beneficiaries due to municipal mismanagement and registration barriers.

This research paper by the Public Affairs Research Institute (PARI) examines the failure of the South African government to fulfill its 1998 White Paper on Energy promise to provide affordable electricity to poor households, small businesses, and small-scale farmers. It highlights a significant gap between national budget allocations for free basic electricity and the actual delivery of these services by municipalities.

This research paper examines the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the energy sector in emerging economies and developing countries, arguing that economic recovery should be aligned with climate and development goals to ensure a 'green recovery'.

This issue brief by the World Resources Institute examines energy injustice in the United States and proposes strategies for federal investment to ensure the clean energy transition equitably distributes benefits to marginalized households and communities.

This research paper examines the energy access gap between ultra-poor and better-off households in Malawi, specifically evaluating the impact of unconditional social cash transfers on the adoption of improved lighting and cookstoves.

This briefing by the Public Affairs Research Institute (PARI) examines the failure of the South African government to fulfill its 1998 White Paper on Energy promise of affordable energy for all. It specifically highlights the systemic failure of the Free Basic Electricity (FBE) program, where billions of rands allocated for low-income households are not reaching the intended beneficiaries due to municipal mismanagement.

This briefing by the Public Affairs Research Institute (PARI) examines the failure of the South African government to fulfill its 1998 commitment to provide affordable electricity to low-income households, small businesses, and farmers. It highlights a systemic failure in the implementation of the Free Basic Electricity (FBE) policy, where billions of rands intended for poor households are not reaching the intended beneficiaries due to municipal mismanagement.

This briefing by the South African Institute of International Affairs examines how regional integration, specifically through the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), and a strategic partnership with the European Union can accelerate the transition to green energy in Africa. It identifies significant energy deficits and systemic constraints—including finance, technical capacity, and domestic policy—that hinder progress, arguing that a regional approach can overcome the limitations faced by individual nation-states.

This briefing argues that increasing stimulus funding for the Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP) can address systemic racial and income inequities in the United States by improving energy affordability, creating domestic jobs, and enhancing public health for low-income households.

This briefing paper by the Stockholm Environment Institute analyzes the Green Climate Fund's (GCF) allocation of energy finance between 2015 and July 2018. It finds that the GCF significantly underfunds energy access projects compared to large-scale renewable energy and energy efficiency projects, and that funding largely bypasses 'high-impact' countries and low-income nations most in need of energy access.