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La Villa 31, un icónico asentamiento urbano en el centro de Buenos Aires, alberga a unas 43.000 personas pobres de la ciudad. En Argentina, paradójicamente, los barrios marginales urbanos se denominan “villas”, una palabra ligada generalmente al lujo en muchas partes del mundo.

Villa 31, an iconic urban settlement in the heart of Buenos Aires, is home to about 43,000 of the city’s poor. In Argentina, paradoxically, urban slums are called ‘ villas’ – a word usually tied with luxury in many parts of the world.

LED street lighting in a municipal park. © Orion Trail / Thinkstock Photos. Further permission required for reuse. Each city is unique, defined not only by the individuals who call it home but also by the energy it exudes…and consumes. Projections indicate that 5 billion people (60% of the world’s population) will live in cities by 2050 and, according to the International Energy Agency, the overall demand for lighting will be 80% higher by 2030 than in 2005. Street lighting energy consumption is an increasingly significant part of cities energy use and a growing burden on municipal budgets.

What is the link between energy poverty and gender inequality?Energy poverty affects nearly half the world, due to social norms and tradition, women and girls disproportionately bear the burden of energy poverty and are significantly underrepresented in decision-making regarding energy choices, from households to national strategies. At the same time, women are notably underrepresented in employment and leadership roles across the energy sector. Limited data suggests they represent just 22 per cent of the oil and gas workforce and 32 per cent of those employed in renewables. Main challenges facing women in the energy sector and the solutionsWomen face significant barriers in the energy sector, including limited access to STEM education, gender bias in hiring and promotion, and restrictive cultural norms. Additionally, energy poverty exposes women to health risks from polluting cooking and lighting fuels, physical strain from firewood collection, and inadequate access to modern appliances and healthcare services due to unreliable electricity. These challenges hinder women’s professional inclusion and overall well-being. How addressing gender in energy contributes to developmentIncreasing women’s participation in the energy sector promotes diverse perspectives and decision-making, drives innovation, fosters sustainable development, and better solutions for global energy challenges. Improved access to clean energy and modern appliances enhances women’s health, empowers them through education and information, and frees time for economic activities. Electrification of homes and health facilities lowers mortality rates and raises living standards, supporting gender equality and sustainable growth.

published report by the World Bank’s Energy Sector Management Assistance Program (ESMAP) on the integration of variable renewable energy (VRE) into national grid systems shows once again that adding solar, wind and other forms of VRE does not represent the calamity for grid operators or the high costs that are frequently claimed, particularly in mainstream media. In fact, with proper planning, integrating relatively high levels of renewable energy generation into a large, interconnected grid is feasible at modest incremental cost.

Last month the World Bank launched a new Global Solar Atlas: a free, online tool that lets you zoom into areas anywhere in the world in great detail (1km resolution), and with downloadable poster maps for all developing countries. This new interactive tool is welcome news for anyone – policymaker or commercial developer – who has ever looked for solar maps or resource data from the cluttered and sometimes confusing array of public resources available

You’d think the most important thing about putting together a global scorecard is, well, the scores of course.My experience working on RISE – Regulatory Indicators for Sustainable Energy – taught me that it takes a lot more than just data to deliver a one-of-a-kind report.

Elisha Thomas Laizer owns a small stationery store that provides photocopying and printing services in Kitumbeine, a Maasai village 150 km (93 mi) from the Tanzanian city of Arusha.

How energy efficiency contributes to supporting growth and fighting climate changeEnergy efficiency, often described as the “first fuel” of the clean energy transition, is a transformative, low-cost solution that can accelerate access to affordable, secure energy while lowering energy bills, improving industrial competitiveness, and freeing up public resources for other development priorities. Yet nearly two-thirds of the world’s energy is still wasted across buildings, industry, and public facilities. With global energy demand projected to rise by 30% over the next decade, improving energy efficiency is essential to curb costs, avoid unnecessary investments in new infrastructure and fuel imports, and strengthen energy security. What are the biggest obstacles to saving energy?Challenges that have slowed progress on energy efficiency include: Distorted price signals, such as low energy prices and fossil fuel subsidies, reduce the economic case for efficiency.Upfront costs are high and payback periods are long or uncertain, and banks have generally little familiarity with energy efficiency projectsSplit incentives can pit stakeholder interests against each other (e.g., landlords vs. tenants)Limited awareness of credible savings opportunities  What are the solutions to accelerate energy efficiency?Accelerating energy efficiency requires stronger minimum performance standards for appliances, buildings, and industry, alongside clear labeling to guide markets. Governments should align utility incentives and reform tariffs to reward efficiency rather than electricity sales. Expanding affordable financing through credit lines, guarantees, and blended finance is essential, as is scaling energy service companies. Public procurement of efficient technologies, improved data systems, and institutional capacity building further enable faster deployment and sustained impact. 

In many rural areas of Myanmar, extending the national electricity grid is technically difficult and financially expensive. As a result, thousands of households have historically relied on candles, kerosene lamps, diesel generators, and other costly energy sources. Mini-grid systems are emerging as an effective solution for delivering reliable and affordable electricity to communities located far from the main grid.

China has emerged as a global clean energy leader. China’s rapid economic rise over the past two decades did not come without a price: heavily dependent on coal to fuel its economy, China became the planet’s largest emitter, accounting for almost 30 percent of global carbon emissions in 2014. The World Bank and the Energy Sector Management Assistance Program (ESMAP) have been important partners in China’s energy transition. Through lending and policy advice, the World Bank - with ESMAP’s support - has become a long-term, trusted partner, helping the country tackle multi-dimensional challenges associated with scaling up cleaner and more efficient sources of energy, and lowering the carbon footprint of its cities.