Is energy efficiency good for developing economies?

Yes. As today’s rich countries did, the developing world will continue to experience major improvements in energy efficiency at the technical, sectoral, and economy-wide levels. And unlike in industrialized economies where the demand for many basic services like electricity and water is mostly provided for, in developing economies the unmet demand for such services is large. Cost savings from energy efficiency improvements are quickly reabsorbed into further production and provision of such services, helping to lift these economies out of poverty. On the consumer side, access to more energy efficient technologies (eg, switching from wood and dung burning to oil and gas burning) saves much-needed time and money for these consumers, but also saves lives by reducing local pollutants.