歐盟行政部門歐盟執委會已決定支持一項計畫，在2030年之前，讓貧窮國家的50億人口享有永續能源服務。
4月16日，歐盟永續能源（EU Sustainable Energy for All）高峰會在布魯塞爾召開，執委會主席巴洛索（Jose Barroso）宣布一項能源發展的計畫，他表示：「挹注資金以促進乾淨能源的取得，將會幫助開發中國家創造工作機會和市場，並確保永續成長。」
巴洛索表示：「當地球上一部分的人享有數位時代所帶來的數位溝通生活，令一部分的人卻仍然無法享有基本電力、電能或能源。」
國際能源總署（IEA ）估計全球有13億人口無法因缺乏電力，導致住宅照明不足，也無法做生意。而超過十億人口，所享有的電力服務則是時斷時續。
聯合國秘書長潘基文將2012年定為「所有人能享用永續能源年」（Year of Sustainable Energy for All），在所有聯合國會員國的宣布下，創立了全面永續能源計畫(the Sustainable Energy for All)，此次高峰會便是支持此計畫的一步。
潘基文在高峰會中表示，歐盟此項對於永續能源途徑的政治性承諾，將「使開發中國家能夠從過去的能源系統中一躍而出，為未來建立富有韌性、競爭力且乾淨的能源經濟體。」
根據世界銀行在4月18日發表的兩份報告，目前許多開發中國家的經濟成長已蓄勢待發。
世界銀行報告認為非洲「在撒哈拉沙漠以南的非洲地區仍有強勁的經濟成長，它們的經濟成長率在2011年達到4.9%，且將在之後一躍而上。」
這份報告指出，目前在拉丁美洲和加勒比海地區國家，「在2012和2013年的地區的經濟成長預測率位在3.5%到4%，高於東歐和中亞國家、相近於東亞國家。」
潘基文在布魯塞爾發言讚賞歐盟，「為使能源成為其核心發展政策，為促進能源途徑、再生能源和能源效率等議題，歐盟站在全球發展議程的最前線。」
巴洛索表示，歐盟在過去五年挹注了一億歐元於全球能源計畫，並已成為「該地區首位全球捐獻者」。然而更有必要的是幫助達成全球共同同意的千禧年發展目標：在2015年前減少貧窮人口並建立永續發展。
巴洛索宣布，在歐盟的能源發展計畫中，未來兩年內，歐盟將創立價值5000萬的技術協助中心，由歐盟專家組成，促進開發中國家的技術專門知識。
「這將協助那些『聯合國全面永續能源計畫』指定的開發中國家，將必要的改革付諸行動、促進相關投資，並發揮拋磚引玉的效果。」巴洛索，「顯而易見，光是援助是不夠的，我們需要民營部門也一起加入，以及合作國家的強烈承諾。」
歐盟及其27個會員國也將進一步貢獻「數億歐元」，為開發中國家的永續能源推動具體的新投資和計畫。
巴洛索表示，歐盟委員會將以歐洲的一份子作出貢獻、代表參加聯合國今年6月20到22日在巴西里約熱內盧召開的世界永續發展大會Rio+20。
Rio+20象徵了聯合國在1992年於里約召開環境發展會議的二十週年，現今許多環境倡議都經過其會員國領導人和政府的同意。
Rio+20將聚焦於在永續發展、消除能源貧民之中追求綠色經濟，並且建立永續發展的制度架構。為此，各國政府將受到期許，採納環保且重視可行性的措施以實行永續發展。
The European Commission, the EU's executive branch of government, has undertaken to support sustainable energy services to 500 million people in poorer countries by 2030.
At the EU Sustainable Energy for All summit in Brussels Monday, European Commission President Jose Barroso announced the Commission's new Energizing Development initiative, saying, "Investing in access to clean energy will help developing countries to create jobs, markets, and ensure sustainable growth."
"While one part of the planet lives in the digital era and in the times of digital communication, the other part has still no access to basic electricity, power or energy," said Barroso.
The International Energy Agency estimates that 1.3 billion people lack electricity to light their homes or conduct business and one billion more only have intermittent access.
The summit was held in support of the Sustainable Energy for All initiative created by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon for this, the International Year of Sustainable Energy for All, as declared by all UN Member States.
Ban told summit participants the EU's political commitment to sustainable energy access will "enable developing countries to leapfrog over the energy systems of the past and build the resilient, competitive, clean energy economies of the future."
Many developing countries are now poised for economic growth, according to two reports issued by the World Bank today.
The World Bank report on Africa says, "Economic growth in Sub-Saharan Africa remains strong and is poised for lift-off after growing at 4.9 percent in 2011."
The bank's report on Latin America and the Caribbean states, "Current growth forecasts for the region stand between 3.5 and 4 percent for 2012 and 2013, higher than those of Eastern Europe and Central Asia, and similar to those of East Asia."
Speaking in Brussels, the UN secretary-general commended the European Union "for making energy to its development policies, and for advancing the issue of energy access, along with renewable and energy efficiency, to the forefront of the global development agenda,"
With one billion euros invested in global energy projects over the last five years, the EU is already "the first global donor in this area," said Barroso, but more is needed to help meet the globally agreed Millenium Development Goals to reduce poverty and build sustainable development by 2015.
As part of the Energizing Development initiative, Barroso announced that over the next two years the EU will create a Technical Assistance Facility worth 50 million euros, using EU experts to foster technical expertise in developing countries.
"This will help those developing countries that opt in to the UN Sustainable Energy for All initiative and commit to the necessary reforms to catalyze and leverage investment," Barroso said. "Because it is clear that aid alone is not enough, we need the private sector on board and a strong commitment of our partner countries."
The EU and its 27 Member States will also contribute a further "several hundred million Euros" to boost concrete new investments and projects in sustainable energy for developing countries.
Barroso said the Commission will present the initiative as part of the European contribution to the UN's Rio+20 conference on sustainable development June 20-22 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Rio+20 marks the 20th anniversary of the 1992 UN Conference on Environment and Development in Rio, at which many of today's environmental initiatives were agreed by heads of state and government.
Rio+20 will focus on achieving a green economy in the context of sustainable development poverty eradication and building the institutional framework for sustainable development. There, governments are expected to adopt clear and focused practical measures for implementing sustainable development.
