Thematic session: Energy efficiency supporting remote and rural communities

Event background

In today’s context of energy market volatility and economic uncertainty, energy efficiency remains essential for affordability, energy security and competitiveness. Rising energy prices and supply disruptions have increased the urgency to reduce demand and strengthen resilience. The 11th Annual Global Conference on Energy Efficiency will bring together global leaders to accelerate action, while ensuring benefits reach all regions and communities.

Remote and rural communities face particular challenges due to geographic, economic and infrastructural constraints that can limit access to affordable and reliable energy. Energy efficiency can help reduce costs, strengthen resilience and improve access to reliable energy services.

Across the globe, governments are already advancing impactful initiatives, including energy-efficient retrofits, decentralised energy systems, utility-led electricity savings programmes, grid solutions and capacity-building efforts. These experiences demonstrate the value of policy frameworks that prioritise affordability and accessibility while integrating local knowledge and lived experience, including that of Indigenous Peoples.

At the same time, scaling these approaches requires more inclusive, tailored and coordinated policies. There is a growing opportunity to strengthen policy approaches that reflect the geographic, economic and infrastructural realities of these communities. Supporting governments and meaningfully engaging local communities is essential to ensure that solutions are effective, accessible and adaptable to diverse contexts.

This thematic session provides a platform to explore how countries can design and implement energy efficiency policies that better support remote and rural communities, while advancing broader energy policy objectives. Participants will learn from real-world experience, explore inclusive policy approaches and engage with stakeholders to identify solutions that can be scaled and adapted across different environments.