Topic Focus: SDG #7 Affordable and Clean Energy
"Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all”
Key Facts
- •655 million people still lacked access to electricity in 2024. At the current pace, about 92.5% of the world’s population is projected to have electricity access by 2030.
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- • Renewable energy is growing. Its share of global final energy use increased from 15.6% in 2015 to 18% in 2023. In 2022, renewables provided more than 30% of energy used in the electricity sector.
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- • Global electricity access increased from 87% in 2015 to 92% in 2024. However, about 8% of the world’s population still lacks access, mainly in sub-Saharan Africa and Least Developed Countries.
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- • Clean cooking access reached 75% globally in 2024, up from 64% in 2015. Still, about 1.8 billion people could be using unsafe and polluting cooking fuels by 2030.
Why It Matters
- Reliable and clean energy is essential for education, healthcare, agriculture, businesses, and everyday life. While renewable energy is growing, millions still lack electricity and clean cooking solutions, causing health, environmental, and economic challenges
Challenges
- • Sub-Saharan Africa accounts for 86% of people worldwide who still lack access to electricity, making it a key area for accelerating progress.
- • Progress in using renewable energy for heating and transportation remains slow, requiring faster action and new solutions.
- • Access to clean cooking fuels and technologies is increasing, but progress remains uneven across regions, especially in areas with growing populations.
- • More action is needed to reduce energy waste.
- • Financing for renewable energy remains insufficient
