Ensuring access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy

Goal 7 is to ensure access to affordable and clean energy, which is key to development in agriculture, business, communications, education, health and transport.

The world continues to move towards sustainable energy goals – but not fast enough. At current rates, some 660 million people still lack access to electricity and nearly 2 billion will still rely on polluting fuels and technologies for cooking by 2030.

Our daily lives depend on reliable and affordable energy. Yet energy consumption is a major contributor to climate change, accounting for around 60% of global greenhouse gas emissions.

From 2015 to 2021, the share of the global population with access to electricity increased from 87% to 91%.

Ensuring universal access to affordable electricity by 2030 means investing in clean energy sources such as solar, wind and thermal power. Expanding infrastructure and upgrading technology to provide clean energy across all developing countries is an important goal that can both stimulate growth and help the environment.

Why should I care about this goal?

A well-established energy system supports all sectors: from business, health and education to agriculture, infrastructure, communications and high technology.

Access to electricity in poorer countries has begun to accelerate, energy efficiency continues to improve, and renewable energy is making impressive gains. However, more focused attention is needed to improve access to clean and safe cooking fuels and technologies for 2.3 billion people.

For decades, fossil fuels such as coal, oil or gas have been the main source of electricity, but burning carbon-based fuels produces large amounts of greenhouse gases that cause climate change and have harmful effects on human health and the environment. This affects everyone, not just a few. Furthermore, global electricity use is increasing rapidly. In short, without a stable supply of electricity, countries cannot power their economies.

Without electricity, women and girls spend hours fetching water, clinics cannot stock vaccines for children, many students cannot do homework at night, and people cannot run competitive businesses. Slow progress towards clean cooking solutions is a global concern, affecting both human health and the environment, and if we fail to meet the target by 2030, nearly a third of the world’s population – mostly women and children – will continue to be exposed to harmful household air pollution.

To ensure energy access for all by 2030, we must accelerate electrification, increase investment in renewable energy, improve energy efficiency, and develop enabling policies and regulatory frameworks.

What are the consequences of not having access to energy?

Energy services are key to preventing disease and fighting the pandemic – from powering healthcare facilities and providing clean water for essential sanitation, to supporting communications and IT services that connect people while maintaining social distancing.

What can we do to fix these problems?

Countries can accelerate the transition to sustainable, reliable and affordable energy systems by investing in renewable energy sources, prioritizing energy-saving practices and adopting clean energy infrastructure and technologies.

Businesses can maintain and protect the ecosystem and commit to providing 100% of their operational electricity needs from renewable sources.

Employers can reduce the need for internal transportation by prioritizing telecommunications and encouraging less energy-intensive modes of travel such as train travel over car and air travel.

Investors can invest more in sustainable energy services, quickly bringing new technologies to market from a diverse supplier base.

You can save electricity by plugging in devices and turning them off completely when not in use, including your computer. You can also cycle, walk, or take public transport to reduce your carbon footprint.