Access to modern energy is vital for sustainable development. In rural areas, decentralized energy solutions may play a significant role in reducing poverty, supporting community institutions and facilitating the generation of basic services such as communication, water access, education and health services.

Two of every three families in villages used firewood for cooking during July, 2011 to June, 2012 period whereas in cities, only 14 per cent families were dependent on it, says a government report.

This report compares the approach to cookstoves of SNV, the Netherlands Development Organisation, with evidence from the sector about how interventions can lead to market transformation.

UNICEF has launched a new report highlighting the many ways in which sustainable energy is vital for children, providing major opportunities to improve their health, education, well-being and development. Energy is needed to deliver babies safely, keep vaccines cool, sterilise medical equipment and guarantee food and water quality.

Asian countries are making a vital contribution to achieving global sustainable energy goals, a new World Bank report finds. But while the region performs strongly on ensuring electricity access for people and using more modern renewable energy, there is room for further improvement on energy efficiency and access to clean, smoke-free cooking.

Sustainable energy access planning is aimed at developing a socially inclusive energy supply system that gives both the poor and the nonpoor sustainable access to at least the minimum amount of energy for their basic needs.

This paper presents findings from the first phase of an ongoing case study to identify some key influences on behaviour related to energy use and the uptake of alternative clean cookstoves in households in Kibera, the largest informal settlement in Nairobi.