The Covid-19 pandemic has slowed progress towards universal access to electricity and clean cooking fuels and technologies, and fallout from the war in Ukraine could lead to further setbacks, says a UN-backed report , published on Wednesday.
Currently, 733 millions people in the world still do not have access to electricity and 2.4 billion people still cook using fuels that are harmful to their health and the environment. At the current rate of progress, 670 millions people will remain without electricity by 2030, 10 million more than predicted last year. Conclusions are drawn from the 2022 edition of Tracking SDG 7: The Energy Progress Report (Monitor theODD7 : Status of Energy Progress), which monitors global efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goal (ODD7) of ensuring a modern and affordable energy supply for all by 2030.
The study was carried out by United Nations entities and partners, known as SDG7 custodian agencies, which urge governments and policymakers to step up action. “International public funding for renewable energy needs to accelerate, especially in the poorest and most vulnerable countries. We have failed to support those who need it most,” said Francesco La Camera, Director General of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), one of the partners.
“With only eight years left to achieve universal access to affordable and sustainable energy, we need radical actions to accelerate the increase in international public financial flows and distribute them more equitably, so that 733 million people currently being left behind can reap the benefits of access to clean energy,” he added.
Vulnerable countries affected
The impacts of Covid-19, such as lockdowns, supply chain disruptions and the diversion of fiscal resources to keep food and fuel prices affordable, have affected progress towards achieving SDG 7. The world’s most vulnerable countries have been particularly hard hit. Close to 90 millions people in Asia and Africa who previously had access to electricity can no longer afford to pay for their basic energy needs. The Russian invasion of Ukraine has made matters worse, as it has led to uncertainty in global oil and gas markets, as well as a spike in energy prices.
The report indicates that Africa remains the least electrified in the world, with 568 millions of people without access. Sub-Saharan Africa’s share of the world’s population without electricity has increased from 71% in 2018 at 77% in 2020, while most other regions saw a decline.
Furthermore, although 70 million people worldwide have gained access to clean cooking fuels and technologies, these advances have not been sufficient to keep pace with population growth, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. The report found that despite continued disruptions to economic activity and supply chains, renewables were the only energy source to grow during the pandemic.
Yet many of the countries most in need of electricity have been left behind – a situation made worse by a decline in international financial flows for the second consecutive year. L’ODD7 also includes energy efficiency targets. From 2010 to 2019, global annual improvements in energy intensity have averaged around 1.9%, well below the levels needed both to meet the targets and to make up for lost ground.
Call for commitment
The custodians of SDG7 are IRENA and the International Energy Agency (IEA), the United Nations Statistics Division (UNSD), the World Bank and the World Health Organization (WHO). They recalled that the United Nations High-Level Energy Dialogue, held last September, brought together governments and stakeholders to accelerate action to achieve a sustainable energy future that does not leave nobody aside. Partners urged the international community and policy makers to preserve gains towards SDG 7 and remain committed to continued action towards affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all. They must also continue to focus on the countries most in need of help.
For people and the planet
WHO’s Dr Maria Neira highlighted why access to a clean kitchen is essential. She said millions of people are being killed by heart disease, strokes, cancers and pneumonia because they still depend on dirty fuels and cooking technologies which are major sources of air pollution. . “Women and children are particularly at risk – they spend the most time in and around the house and therefore bear the heaviest burden for their health and well-being,” said Dr Neira, Director from the WHO Department of Environment, Climate Change and Health.
“The transition to clean and sustainable energy will not only help improve people’s health, it will also protect our planet and mitigate the impacts of climate change,” she added.