Since its inception in 2018, Tracking SDG 7: The Energy Progress Report has become the global reference for information on progress toward the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 7 (SDG 7) of the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The report is produced annually by the five custodian agencies responsible for tracking progress toward the goal. The custodian agencies are the International Energy Agency (IEA), the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), the United Nations Statistics Division (UNSD), the World Bank, and the World Health Organization (WHO).
The aim of SDG 7 is to “ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy for all.” This report thus summarizes global progress on energy access, energy efficiency, renewable energy, clean cooking, and international cooperation to advance SDG 7. It presents updated statistics for each of the indicators and provides policy insights on priority areas and actions needed to spur further progress on SDG 7.
Despite some progress across the indicators, the current pace is not adequate to achieve any of the 2030 targets for SDG 7. As in previous years, rates of progress vary significantly across regions, with some regions making substantial gains and some slowing their progress or even moving backward. Among the major economic factors impeding the realization of the goal are the uncertain macroeconomic outlook, high levels of inflation, debt distress in a growing number of countries, inequitable distribution of finance and other resources, supply chain bottlenecks, and soaring prices for materials. The effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, the war in Ukraine, and the steady rise in energy prices since summer 2021 have been a further drag on progress, particularly in the most vulnerable countries and those that were already lagging behind.
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Table of Contents
- Contents 3
- Acronyms and abbreviations 4
- Acknowledgments 6
- Partnership 6
- Authorship 8
- Data sources 9
- Review and consultation 9
- Outreach 9
- Executive Summary 10
- SDG 7.1.1 Access to electricity 0
- SDG 7.1.2 Access to clean fuels and technologies for cooking 0
- SDG 7.2 Renewable energy 0
- SDG 7.3 Energy efficiency 0
- SDG 7.a.1 International public financial flows to developing countries in support of clean energy 0
- The outlook for SDG 7 0
- Chapter 1. Access to Electricity 19
- Main messages 20
- Are we on track? 22
- Looking beyond the main indicators 24
- Closing the access gap with decentralized renewable energy 30
- Country trends 32
- Reaching the unserved population 35
- Modelling estimates of least-cost options for electricity access 37
- Looking ahead to 2030 40
- Conclusion 45
- Chapter 2. Access to Clean Fuels 46
- Main messages 47
- Are we on track? 48
- Looking beyond the main indicators 50
- Policy insights 59
- Chapter 3. Renewables 63
- Main messages 64
- Are we on track? 66
- Looking beyond the main indicators 69
- Policy insights 84
- Chapter 4. Energy Efficiency 85
- Main messages 86
- Are we on track? 87
- Looking beyond the main indicators 89
- Policy recommendations 97
- Conclusions 102
- Chapter 5. International Public Financial Flows to Developing Countries In Support of Clean Energy 103
- Main messages 104
- Are we on track? 106
- Looking beyond the main indicators 107
- Policy insights 119
- Chapter 6.. The Outlook for SDG 7 121
- Main messages 122
- Presentation of scenarios 123
- The outlook for access to electricity 124
- The outlook for access to clean cooking fuels and technologies 126
- The outlook for renewable energy 128
- The outlook for energy efficiency 134
- Investments needed to achieve SDG 7 0
- Conclusion 138
- Chapter 7. TRACKING PROGRESS TOWARD 139
- Access to electricity 141
- Access to clean cooking fuels and technologies for cooking 142
- Renewable energy 143
- Energy efficiency 144
- International financial flows to developing countries in support of clean and renewable energy 145
- Installed renewable electricity: Generating capacity in developing and developed countries 146
- Conclusion 147
- Appendix. Regional classifications of countries/territories 148
- ANNEX 1. Methodological Notes 151
- Chapter 1. Access to electricity 151
- Chapter 2. Access to clean fuels and technologies for cooking 154
- Chapter 3. Renewables 157
- Chapter 4. Energy efficiency 159
- Chapter 5. International public financial flows to developing countries in support of clean energy 162
- Chapter 6. Outlook for SDG 7 167
- Annex 2. References 170
- Chapter 1 Access to electricity 170
- Chapter 2 Access to clean fuels and technologies for cooking 173
- Chapter 3 Renewables 174
- Chapter 4 Energy efficiency 175
- Chapter 5 International public financial flows to developing countries in support of clean energy 176
- Chapter 6 Outlook for SDG 7 177
- Chapter 7 Data and indicators 178