Institute of Development Studies

Low-carbon Development

Over one billion people in the developing world still lack access to electricity, and over two billion still rely on fuelwood or charcoal for cooking and heating. Extending access to energy to poor people is a crucial part of the development agenda, as is meeting the energy needs for industry as the economies of developing countries grow. But meeting these needs in a carbon-constrained world is a huge challenge.

This research theme explores low-carbon development (especially energy) from a number of angles, but with a particular focus on the way that policies, politics, institutions and markets shape innovation and investment in, and use of, low-carbon energy.

Our research on low-carbon development includes:

• How emerging economies, particularly China and India, pursue transitions from high-carbon to low-carbon development. This research includes the approaches these countries take to investments in renewable energy and to low-carbon innovation. It also examines the influence their emergence has on climate change mitigation, energy security and economic competitiveness, and the implications for other countries. We focus on the impacts both on developed countries and low-income countries, particularly in Africa.
• Whether and how investment in and use of low-carbon technologies, particularly in low-income countries, can be part of a development model that reduces poverty and transforms livelihoods to make people less vulnerable to climate change.

Low-carbon Development Publications

• Ekins, P. and Lockwood, M. (2011) 'Tackling fuel poverty during the transition to a low-carbon economy '
• Mulugetta, Y. and Urban, F. (2010) 'Deliberating on Low Carbon Development', Energy Policy , Elsevier
• Urban, F. (2010) 'Pro-poor Low Carbon Development and the Role of Growth', International Journal of Green Economics 4.1:82-93
• Lockwood, M. (2010) 'The Economics of Personal Carbon Trading: A Review', Climate Policy 10.4:447-461, Cambridge: Earthscan
• Urban, F. (2010) 'The MDGs and beyond: Can low carbon development be pro-poor?', IDS Bulletin 41.1:92-99, Brighton: IDS

Low-carbon Development Projects

• China Low Carbon Platform - A new knowledge-sharing web platform supporting an international network for low carbon energy and low carbon development in China. (2010 - 2010)
• European Development Co-operation on climate change to 2020 - The aim of this project is to synthesize and understand the evidence base on CC and EU development policy in key areas of CC and development programming and to map out possible future influences on these policy area (2008 - 2010)
• Pro-Poor Electricity Provision - This programme will develop and promote evidence-based policy and programme guidance on low carbon energy investments to benefit poor people, especially women and girls. (Ongoing)