Book excerpt: There is an unmistakable link between energy and sustainable human development. Approximately, one third of the world's population has little or no access to modern energy services, and a majority of these people live in poverty. The United Nations Development Programme has initiated a Global Programme in Sustainable Energy, in recognition of the fact that conventional energy strategies that rely on supply-focused, fossil-intensive, large-scale approaches do not address the needs of the world's poor. Bioenergy relates to energy that is derived from wood and other plant matter. This publication is a product of the Global Programme, and its purpose is to help countries and communities realise the potential for bioenergy to become an important contributor to sustainable energy strategies.