Goal 7 is about ensuring access to clean and affordable energy, which is key to the development of agriculture, business, communications, education, healthcare and transportation. The lack of access to energy hinders economic and human development.
Latest data suggest that the world continues to advance towards sustainable energy targets. Nevertheless, the current pace of progress is insufficient to achieve Goal 7 by 2030. Huge disparities in access to modern sustainable energy persist.
Rising commodity, energy and shipping prices have increased the cost of producing and transporting solar photovoltaics modules, wind turbines and biofuels worldwide, adding uncertainty to a development trajectory that is already far below Goal 7 ambitions. Achieving energy and climate goals will require continued policy support and a massive mobilization of public and private capital for clean and renewable energy, especially in developing countries.
- The global electricity access rate increased from 83 per cent in 2010 to 91 per cent in 2020. Over this period, the number of people without electricity shrank from 1.2 billion to 733 million.
- From 2018 to 2020, the electricity access rate rose by an average of 0.5 percentage points annually, compared to 0.8 percentage points between 2010 and 2018.
- At the current pace, only 92 per cent of the world’s population would have access to electricity in 2030, leaving 670 million people unserved.
- Due to economic pressures imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic, up to 90 million people connected to electricity in Africa and developing countries in Asia could not afford to have an extended bundle of services in 2020.
- Between 2010 and 2020, the proportion of people with access to clean cooking fuels and technologies increased from 57 per cent to 69 per cent.
- 4 billion people still relied on inefficient and polluting cooking systems in 2020.
- The share of renewables in total final energy consumption reached 17.7 per cent in 2019, 1.6 percentage points higher than in 2010.
- Global primary energy intensity (energy efficiency) improved from 5.6 megajoules per US dollar in 2010 to 4.7 in 2019, with an average annual improvement rate of 1.9 per cent.
- To meet energy efficiency target, the annual rate of improvement until 2030 will need to average 3.2 per cent a year.
- International public financial flows to developing countries in support of clean energy amounted to $10.9 billion in 2019, down by nearly 24 per cent from the previous year.
- The five-year moving average also decreased for the first time since 2008, from $17.5 billion for 2014–2018 to $16.6 billion for 2015–2019.
- Loans accounted for over 52 per cent of commitments in 2019. Grants comprised almost 17 per cent. Shares in collective investment vehicles grew to $191 million in 2019, up by 91 per cent from 2018.
7.1 By 2030, ensure universal access to affordable, reliable and modern energy services
7.2 By 2030, increase substantially the share of renewable energy in the global energy mix
7.3 By 2030, double the global rate of improvement in energy efficiency
7.A By 2030, enhance international cooperation to facilitate access to clean energy research and technology, including renewable energy, energy efficiency and advanced and cleaner fossil-fuel technology, and promote investment in energy infrastructure and clean energy technology
7.B By 2030, expand infrastructure and upgrade technology for supplying modern and sustainable energy services for all in developing countries, in particular least developed countries, small island developing States, and land-locked developing countries, in accordance with their respective programmes of support
COVID-19 response
Lack of access to energy may hamper efforts to contain COVID-19 across many parts of the world. Energy services are key to preventing disease and fighting pandemics – from powering healthcare facilities and supplying clean water for essential hygiene, to enabling communications and IT services that connect people while maintaining social distancing.
789 million people – predominantly in sub-Saharan Africa – are living without access to electricity, and hundreds of millions more only have access to very limited or unreliable electricity. It is estimated that only 28 percent of health facilities have access to reliable electricity in sub-Saharan Africa, yet energy is critically needed to keep people connected at home and to run life-saving equipment in hospitals.
If hospitals and local communities don’t have access to power, this could magnify the human catastrophe and significantly slow the global recovery.
The Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Sustainable Energy for All explained why energy access matters during the coronavirus emergency and outlined three ways to respond to the COVID-19 emergency:
- Prioritize energy solutions to power health clinics and first responders;
- Keep vulnerable consumers connected;
- Increase reliable, uninterrupted, and sufficient energy production in preparation for a more sustainable economic recovery.
Read more about the role of energy in COVID-19 response.
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