A team of energy experts from 15 agencies worked under the leadership of the World Bank and the International Energy Agency to produce this comprehensive snapshot of the status of more than 170 countries with respect to energy access, action on energy efficiency and renewable energy, and energy consumption. The report’s framework for data collection and analysis will enable us to monitor progress on the Sustainable Energy for All (SE4ALL) objectives from now to 2030. The report also shows how different countries can boost progress toward sustainable energy. Reaching universal energy access depends decisively on actions in some 20 "high-impact" countries in Africa and Asia. Attaining the global objectives for energy efficiency and renewable energy hinges on efforts in some 20 developed and emerging economies that account for 80 percent of global energy consumption. Finally, the report identifies a number of "fast-moving" countries whose exceptionally rapid progress on the triple energy agenda since 1990 provides not just inspiration, but know-how that can help us replicate their success elsewhere.

Emerging Europe and Central Asia, the region made up of the countries of Central and South East Europe (CSE) and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), is a major energy supplier to both Eastern and Western Europe. However, the outlook for both primary and derivative energy supplies is questionable, with a real prospect that there will be a significant decline during the next two decades. Western Europe is heavily dependent on energy imports from this region and therefore will be affected by declines in primary energy supplies. But Western Europe has the financial capacity to secure the energy supplies it needs (albeit at the expense of others). In contrast, the region s energy-importing countries are caught between Western Europe, which has increasing import needs, and it s own exporters, whose exports will likely decline. These countries face the prospect of being squeezed not only financially but also in terms of energy access. This difficult prospect is compounded by the deterioration of the energy infrastructure, including power generation and district heating. Although the public sector will have to finance a portion of these infrastructure investments, it will not have the capacity to meet the full needs. It is essential, therefore, that the countries in the region move quickly to put in place an enabling environment to support investment in the sector. Further complicating these issues are environmental concerns, in particular concern about climate change. EU member states and those with EU ambitions will need to meet the challenging EU greenhouse gas emissions targets. At the same time, a number of countries in the region will face the temptation to use environmentally unfriendly technology to meet their immediate energy needs. 'Lights Out?' analyzes key measures that can help countries address all of these challenges.