Increasing wealth and growing population dramatically raise the demand for energy in many developing and emerging countries. This leads to increased environmental damage, shortages in energy supply and to financial burdens on the state, the private sector and private households.

Energy efficiency is a key element in decreasing energy consumption and therefore an integral part of sustainable energy management. Roughly 30 % of the energy consumed in OECD member countries could be saved, and in developing and transition countries, this figure could be as high as 50 %. In order to find a sustainable solution to the challenges posed by energy efficiency, we must bring all the relevant stakeholders on board. This means involving the ministries, municipal authorities, associations, utilities, research institutions, the private sector and the energy users themselves. GIZ cooperates with stakeholders to analyse the situation, identify the potential for improving energy efficiency, seek ways to tap this potential and then jointly implement these measures with the partners.