This document summarizes Kalpana Murari's presentation at the 5th Energy Transitions Conference regarding using renewable energy to alleviate poverty in developing countries. It discusses how energy poverty can be addressed by providing affordable, sustainable energy access to rural areas. It also outlines several UN instruments and legal precedents that establish principles of distributive justice, minimum rights to basic survival, and obligations for states to respect economic and social rights. The document argues that a legally binding international treaty is needed to regulate transnational corporations and mandate the deployment of renewable energy in host countries in order to effectively address issues of poverty, livelihoods, energy access, climate change, and sustainable development.

1. .
5th Energy Transitions Conference, UEF Law School,
Joensuu Campus
March 9th to 10th, 2017.
Renewable Transition to Alleviate Poverty in Developing
Countries.
Kalpana Murari India

2. Energy Poverty and Energy Justice
• Distributive justice is achieved when there is domestic distribution
of benefits of globalization and international distribution of
benefits as between nation states.
• Energy poverty can be alleviated if people living in rural and
remote areas have gained access to affordable, sustainable energy
to meet their basic needs of sustenance.
• The EU Energy Initiative

3. UN Instruments, A Precursor.
• The Declaration on the Establishment of New International Economic
Order, 1974.
• ICESCR,1966 – Sole instrument responsible for legal formation of IPL
policies.
• Limburg Principles of 1986 – States cannot invoke inadequate financial
resources as a defense for failing to respect norms of ICESCR
• Maastricht Guidelines – States will be in violation of obligations if
”minimum levels of rights” required for basic survival are left unfulfilled
for a significant number of persons.
• The Bill on Global Poverty Act, 2007, USA.

4. Grootboom and Poverty Law Jurisprudence
• Grootboom promoted the realization of socio-economic rights in
South Africa as an anti-poverty measure.
• International poverty law entails altering international regulatory
agenda.
• Regulates economic globalization to mandate compliance with
labor or environmental standards.
• Helps secure redistribution of goods, services and power on a
more equitable basis.
• Expands entitlements and creates new legal remedies for the poor.

5. Why Regulate TNCs?
• The Addis Ababa Action Programme calls for ‘corporate
transparency and accountability’ .
• A call for international tax regime.
• A global mandate on CSR.
• Ensure implementation of UN Principles of Responsible
Investment.
• A mandate to adhere to various international instruments that
govern the actions of TNCs across the globe.

6. The Compelling Need For A Treaty.
• Ecuador Resolution : Mandate for “international legally binding
instrument to regulate, in international human rights law, the
activities of TNCs and other business enterprises.”
• A treaty that addresses poverty as the core issue with a mandate
for deployment of RE in host countries can effectively:
• Address basic sustenance issues, raise income levels and livelihood
standards
• Address energy poverty through deployment of RE in rural and remote
areas.
• Address climate change issues and meet sustainable development goals.

7. •Thank you all for your kind attention.