This report, published by the UN Development Programme, reviews more than 600 online documents to consider how energy is included in national decentralisation policies and programmes in least developed countries and Sub-Saharan Africa.

The authors argue that decentralisation can significantly improve access to energy, particularly in poor rural settings. They highlight rural energy programmes in Bangladesh, Mali and Nepal to show how energy decentralisation leads to local community engagement in energy planning and implementation.

The authors find that links between energy and decentralisation are rarely discussed in national policy documents.

To take full advantage of decentralisation opportunities, efforts are needed to integrate energy issues into local development planning and processes.

The authors argue that energy priorities must meet local development aspirations and that development workers must strengthen community participation and delivery and local planning processes.

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