Goal 7: Affordable and clean energy
Affordable, reliable and sustainable energy for all
2015 and 2021
800M
people were connected to electricity.
2015
87%
of the world’s population had access to electricity.
By 2021, the figure had reached 91 percent. Still, 675 million people lacked access in 2021, many in least developed countries and in sub-Saharan Africa.
As access continues to grow, so will the appetite for cheap energy. It is vital to promote the use of clean and renewable sources over fossil fuels. Renewables currently supply 30 percent of the electricity we use, but growth has been limited in heating and transport. And regrettably, international funding of clean energy in developing countries has declined: US$10.8 billion in 2021, a nearly 12 percent drop from 2020 — and nowhere near the 2017 peak of $26.4 billion.
UNDP has set a goal to help 500 million people gain access to clean energy by 2025. To achieve this and meet SDG 7 targets, we must continue and accelerate electrification while substantially boosting the share of renewable energy sources.
Supportive policy and investments in energy efficiency will help to achieve energy targets while advancing climate action.
A lightbulb moment
Just one energy-efficient LED bulb is enough to light up a formerly dark corner at the National Chest Hospital in Kingston, Jamaica, where teams of health care workers take care of critical paperwork. Located away from natural light, it is one of several spots where bulbs must burn around the clock to power health care delivery in the island nation.
National Chest is one of six public hospitals participating in an initiative to cut fossil fuel imports and public sector energy costs in Jamaica. The hospitals have been retrofitted with energy efficient light bulbs in preparation for the next big step: installation of solar energy systems.
Photo credits
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UNDP Sudan
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UNDP Peru/Maria Paz Gonzales
