Ben Garside

Principal researcher, Shaping Sustainable Markets

Ben Garside currently leads IIED's work on energy access and renewable energy, with a particular interest in pro-poor and inclusive business models that improve impacts for the poorest. This includes building cross-sector problem-solving processes that tailor energy services to better suit local needs and contexts.

Full biography

Ben also works on understanding how 'social learning' – co-learning for change – approaches can help catalyse solving the complex problems associated with climate change and food insecurity. His experience spans across the fields of energy, agriculture, information and communication technologies, and climate change adaptation. He has worked in low-income countries across Africa, Asia, and Latin America.

Expertise

Access to energy and renewable energy; climate change adaptation; pro-poor business models; building dialogue for change across diverse stakeholders; community-level participatory research; monitoring and evaluation for impact; inclusive information and communication technologies; and the roles of aid in leveraging business for sustainable development.

Before IIED

Engineering background with extensive experience in ICT consultancy and telecoms; postgraduate degree in development management at the London School of Economics.

Current work

Pro-poor energy – more access, better impacts (people-centred energy transitions; energy policy analysis and advocacy; productive uses of energy); renewable energy and climate; social-learning and climate uncertainties.