Towards achieving Sustainable Development Goal 7

Each year, all of us working to advance a just, equitable, and inclusive energy transition await the launch of the Tracking SDG7 progress report - published by the International Energy Agency (IEA) , International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) , United Nations Statistics Division (UNSD), 世界银行 , and World Health Organization (WHO) - highlighting global efforts to ensure affordable and clean energy for all by 2030.?

Knowing where we stand on SDG7 is important. As the globe navigates push and pull factors that significantly impact energy access and energy transition outcomes across different countries and sectors, taking stock has become more critical than ever. This report is a credible response to this need as it shows us how far we have come, and how much further we need to go.??

As we see from the data, as of 2021, 675 million people still lack access to electricity globally. In order to achieve full electrification, between 2021 and 2030, 110 million people need to be connected each year. Clean cooking progress is much slower than electrification, with progress barely moving the needle.??

Much of the electrification progress has been in South and South-East Asia; and Latin America, while progress in Africa has stagnated and, in some cases, the access deficit has widened. While population growth explains large parts of this, supply chain disruptions and inflation caused by the ongoing energy crisis have resulted in rising costs of electricity systems and the financing of new projects, highlighting the importance of scaling up local manufacturing.??

It is critical that countries have an integrated strategy for universal clean cooking as a way to accelerate the energy transition and address climate change. UN-Energy- and Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL) -led Energy Compacts can be used as a useful mechanism for national clean cooking strategies and commitments, to increase investments which will drive co-benefits such as health and climate action.?

On renewable energy, the report shows that increasing the share of modern renewable energy needs to also go alongside significant energy conservation [and efficiency] efforts to keep up with the pace of demand. Much faster renewable energy uptake is required to be in line with the ambition of the target and with internationally agreed climate objectives.??

Our Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) agenda hinges on ensuring universal energy access for all. While we make rapid progress on scaling up climate action, we must put people at the heart of this agenda, especially those that are most vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate change even as their own emissions remain low. Our energy future must be clean, and it must also be just, inclusive, and equitable. The climate lens must be expanded to include accelerated access for the energy-poor and not just decarbonization for high-impact regions.??

While we take stock, we must also build on these successes and turn commitments into action and push for greater ambition, backed by finance, to end energy poverty and secure climate justice for billions of people around the world.??

Read the latest edition of the Tracking SDG 7 progress report here: https://trackingsdg7.esmap.org/ and SEforALL’s 7 takeaways from this report here: https://www.seforall.org/news/seven-takeaways-from-tracking-sdg7-the-energy-progress-report-2023 ?

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