The main goal of GENUS is to encourage and support implementation and replication of affordable and environmentally sustainable energy programmes and projects globally, particularly for the urban poor. More specifically, the network is aimed at:

• Enhancing understanding of the linkages between sustainable energy and other development priorities, and the technology options and principles that lead to better practical policies to promote and highlight the crucial role of energy for sustainable development in poor urban settlements.
• Providing analytical input to governments’ formulation of policies and programmes, and attract private sector investments in the urban energy sector that favour energy sector growth for sustainable development, especially for the urban poor in developing countries.
• Promoting a communication infrastructure to facilitate sharing of experiences, expertise, skills, complementary strengths and best practices between network members.
• Strengthening South-South and North-South exchange of knowledge and collaboration on urban energy issues of common interest.
• Capacity-building to strengthen the ability of network members to acquire, assimilate and apply existing knowledge and experiences.

By facilitating sharing of information through a global base of knowledge on energy related topics, with a special focus on the urban poor, GENUS hopes to foster commitment and interest in the application of new and improved energy-access policies, and increase the number of local authorities active in the area of improving access to clean modern energy services, including those for the urban poor.