Energy has long been recognized to be essential in meeting basic human needs, in stimulating and supporting economic growth and in enhancing the quality of life in human settlements. Increased energy use means increased ability to produce the necessities sand amenities of life such as food, shelter, clothing, communications, transport and health care. It is agreed that developing countries must raise their outputs to a level which will provide an acceptable standard of living for everybody in the world.

However, the production and use of energy are associated with certain negative environmental impacts, including land-based and atmospheric pollution which threatens the very health and well-being of the society that the increased energy is expected to serve. This calls for a new approach to managing energy production and use that will address the equity, efficiency and environmental considerations in a balanced manner