It is predicted that over the next two decades, sustained economic growth in the Asia-Pacific region will require energy services in an order of magnitude much larger than today’s to meet the energy needs of industrialization and improved living standards. However, the situation in many rural areas is critically different as local demands for energy often outstrip availability. It is estimated that more than a billion people in rural areas of the Asia-Pacific region lack access to modern energy services, leading to a dependence on non-commercial energy supplies to meet basic needs. Energy is essential for domestic purposes, such as cooking, heating and lighting, as well as for agricultural and rural industry purposes. This means that the objectives of many of the Millennium Development Goals will not be met unless rapid progress is made in extending efficient and affordable energy services to the poor in support of development activities. The 40th Energy Resources Development Series publication Energy Services for Sustainable Development in Rural Areas in Asia and the Pacific: Policy and Practice focuses on an in-depth analysis of the issues, policies and mechanisms in widening access to energy services in support of achieving sustainable development in rural areas of Asia and the Pacific. It is largely based on materials and papers presented at the 2004 UNESCAP Expert Group Meeting on Energy Services for Sustainable Development in Rural Areas. However, it also touches on how enhancing eco-efficiency can be a strategy to address the growing pressure on environmental sustainability resulting from the region’s rapid economic growth.
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