Energy and Growth: Facts and Consequences

Contributor(s): Professor Michael Greenstone, Dr Kaikaus Ahmad, Dr Mohammad Irfan Elahi, Sanjay Kumar Singh | Economic growth depends critically on access to reliable energy. However, in much of the world, connectivity remains low, supply in connected areas is unreliable, and, at the same time, pollution and carbon emissions are on the rise. Professor Greenstone will explore some of the key trends that are shaping energy in the developing world and outline some solutions to their energy challenges. Michael Greenstone is a Research Programme Director (Energy) at the International Growth Centre (IGC), the Milton Friedman Professor of Economics in the department of economics at the University of Chicago and director of the Energy Policy Institute at Chicago (EPIC). Kaikaus Ahmad is the Additional Secretary from the Power Division in the “Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources” in the Government of Bangladesh. He has a PhD in Public Policy and Political Economy and an MA in Development Economics. His academic and civil service career magnetized him towards interdisciplinary subjects, and issues relating to poverty, economic development, governance, global interdependence, and institutional development always intrigues him. Mohammad Irfan Elahi is Chairman of the Planning and Development Board for the Government of Punjab. He is responsible for capital investment planning for the provincial government of Punjab, as well as planning for economic growth. He also helps coordinate various Government line departments in achieving development objectives. Sanjay Singh is Secretary to the Chief Minister for the Government of Bihar and Managing Director of Bihar State Power Transmission Co. Ltd. Before moving to the CM office, he served as District Magistrate of Patna. Robin Burgess is Founder and Director of the International Growth Centre. The International Growth Centre (@The_IGC) aims to promote sustainable growth in developing countries by providing demand-led policy advice based on frontier research. Based at LSE and in partnership with Oxford University, the IGC is initiated and funded by DFID. This public lecture is part of Growth Week 2014 which takes place at LSE from 23-25 September organised by the International Growth Centre. There are two other public events taking place during Growth Week, one on the evening of 23 September (Financing Africa's future: infrastructure, investment and opportunity), the other on the evening of 25 September (Growth, Policy and Institutions: lessons from the Indian experience). Credits: Tom Sturdy (Audio Post-Production), LSE AV Services (Audio Recording).