The latest available data and select energy scenarios are set forth in this year’s report, which finds that although the world continues to advance toward SDG 7, its efforts fall well short of the scale required to reach the goal by 2030. According to the Report, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, countries around the world will have to take exceptional measures to bring the health emergency under control, limit its human toll, and avoid deep recession. Under such circumstances, countries have an opportunity to consider options for economic stimulus that not only respond to the immediate crisis, but also ensure longer-term social, economic, and environmental sustainability. At the heart of such objectives is access to modern energy, with its immense potential to spur the achievement also of other Sustainable Development Goals and global climate objectives.
SDG target 7.1 is on universal access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy services; with 7.1.2 focusing on access to clean cooking solutions. Recent years have seen rapid growth in access to electricity after an accelerated deployment of affordable electrification options, including on- and off-grid solutions. As a result, the global population lacking access to electricity dropped to 789 million in 2018, from 1.2 billion in 2010. By contrast, the global population without access to clean cooking solutions remained largely unchanged during the same period, standing at close to 3 billion. The rate of increase in access to clean cooking has even decelerated since 2012, falling behind population growth in some countries.
SDG target 7.1 is on universal access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy services; with 7.1.2 focusing on access to clean cooking solutions. Recent years have seen rapid growth in access to electricity after an accelerated deployment of affordable electrification options, including on- and off-grid solutions. As a result, the global population lacking access to electricity dropped to 789 million in 2018, from 1.2 billion in 2010. By contrast, the global population without access to clean cooking solutions remained largely unchanged during the same period, standing at close to 3 billion. The rate of increase in access to clean cooking has even decelerated since 2012, falling behind population growth in some countries.
The Report notes that the share of the global population with access to clean fuels and technologies for cooking increased from 56 percent in 2010 to 63 percent in 2018, leaving approximately 2.8 billion people without access. While promising improvements were made in Eastern Asia and South-eastern Asia, and in Central Asia and Southern Asia, but Sub-Saharan Africa moved in the opposite direction, as population growth between 2014 and 2018 outstripped growth in access by an average of 18 million people a year.
The SDG 7 custodian agencies therefore urge the international community and policy-makers to safeguard the gains already attained for SDG 7 and not lose sight of the need to continue action on affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy for all. Furthermore, the agencies highlighted that before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, stepped-up efforts toward all targets were urgently required if SDG 7 was to be met within the coming decade. Therefore, even greater efforts will be needed to meet the SDG 7 targets in a post COVID-19 world
The SDG 7 custodian agencies therefore urge the international community and policy-makers to safeguard the gains already attained for SDG 7 and not lose sight of the need to continue action on affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy for all. Furthermore, the agencies highlighted that before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, stepped-up efforts toward all targets were urgently required if SDG 7 was to be met within the coming decade. Therefore, even greater efforts will be needed to meet the SDG 7 targets in a post COVID-19 world
