SDG 7 – Affordable And Clean Energy

Whether it is jobs, security, climate change, food production or income generation, access to energy for all is essential. Working towards this goal is particularly important as it is linked to other Sustainable Development Goals. Putting a focus on universal access to energy, increased energy efficiency and increased use of renewable energy through new economic and employment opportunities is critical to creating more sustainable and inclusive communities and resilience to environmental issues like climate change.

Currently, about three billion people lack access to energy-efficient and clean cooking options and are exposed to dangerous levels of air pollution. In addition, slightly less than one billion people live without electricity, 50 per cent of them live in sub-Saharan Africa alone. Encouragingly, progress has been made in the use of renewable electricity from hydro, solar and wind power over the past decade, and the share of energy used per unit of GDP is also decreasing.

However, the challenge is far from being resolved and more access to clean fuels and technologies needs to be created and further progress made in integrating renewable energy into application systems for buildings, transport and industry. Public and private investment in energy also needs to be increased, and more emphasis placed on regulatory frameworks and innovative business models to transform the world’s energy systems.

Did you know?
3 billion people lack clean fuels and technologies to cook.