Background
This Policy Brief is divided in 3 parts. Part I provides an overview of current and anticipated trends in energy
poverty and their impact on development. This part evidences the magnitude of energy poverty challenge
vis a vis public resources and ODA, but also the significant opportunities related to emerging clean energy
solutions. Part II discusses some of the key financial and non-financial challenges related to financing clean
energy access for the poor. It highlights the critical contribution that MFIs can play in fostering clean energy
access, but also the need to address wider non-financial barriers, market and government failures that
prevent clean energy uptake; lastly, Part III presents the most defining characteristics of CleanStart, an innovative
UNCDF-UNDP Program aimed at increasing poor households and micro-enterprises access to clean
energy by addressing financial and non-financial challenges, supporting microfinance and the development
of enabling environments for clean energy financing.
