Achieving Universal Access to Modern Energy in East Asia and the Pacific - One Goal, Two Paths

This flagship report was undertaken by the Infrastructure of the Department for Sustainable Development in the East Asia and Pacific Region of the World Bank under the guidance of John Roome, Sector director, Vijay Jagannathan, Sector Manager.  Some EAP countries have practically achieved universal electricity access. Others that lag behind recognize electrifi cation as a major governmental priority. Nevertheless, the Region is still far from achieving universal access to modern energy given that more than 1 billion people––or every second household (HH) in the Region––lack modern cooking solutions. Indoor pollution from solid fuels using traditional and ineffi cient cooking methods is a leading cause of health problems for women and children in the Region, and a major barrier to achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). However, with the right policies and approaches, universal access to energy is within the reach of the Region in the next two decades.