The Tracking SDG 7 – Energy Progress Report 2022 was recently released. This highly collaborative product is produced by five SDG 7 custodian agencies, including the International Energy Agency (IEA), International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), United Nations Statistics Division (UNSD), World Bank, and World Health Organization (WHO). The report’s purpose is to track global, regional, and national progress towards four key energy targets, aiming for universal access to clean, affordable energy by 2030.
Significantly, the 2022 report displays how the Russia-Ukraine war and Covid-19 crisis have impeded efforts towards achieving the Seventh Sustainable Development Goal (SDG 7). The primary energy targets include ensuring universal access to electricity and clean cooking solutions, substantially increasing renewable energy share, doubling progress on energy efficiency, and fostering international collaboration to promote clean and renewable energy.
Key Findings of the Energy Progress Report
In terms of access to electricity, the global population with such access rose from 83% in 2010 to 91% in 2020. That is an increase of around 1.3 billion people. On a less positive note, the progress has slowed down recently due to the growing challenge of reaching remote and poorer populations and the crippling impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic. At the current pace, world electrification is projected to reach only 92% by 2030.
The global population with access to clean cooking fuels and technologies saw a modest rise to 69% in 2020. Despite these gains, a rapidly growing population, especially in Sub-Saharan Africa, overpowers the progress, resulting in a relatively stagnant number of people without access to clean cooking.
On renewable energy, 2021 experienced a record rise in renewable capacity expansion. However, countries most in need of increased access witnessed a lag in new capacity additions. The increasing costs of solar PV modules, wind turbines, and biofuels due to soaring commodity, energy, and shipping prices, coupled with restrictive trade measures, have added a layer of uncertainty for future renewable energy projects.
Energy Efficiency and International Financial Flows
The primary aim of SDG 7.3 is to double the global annual improvement rate in primary energy intensity from 2.6% in 2010–30 versus 1990–2010. However, from 2010 to 2019, global annual improvements lingered around 1.9%, falling short of the target.
International public financial flows to developing countries in support of clean energy took a downturn for the second consecutive year, dropping to USD 10.9 billion in 2019. This decrease occurred despite the urgent climate change situation and most countries’ dire need for sustainable development. As such, the level of financing remains insufficient to reach SDG 7, especially in the most vulnerable and least developed nations.
Recommendations from the Report
To meet the 2030 electricity access target, we require an increase in the number of new connections to 100 million annually. A coordinated effort across various sectors is needed to achieve the universal access to clean cooking by 2030, learning from successes and challenges faced by countries attempting to implement clean household energy policies.
For renewables, the report suggests an accelerated deployment of renewable energy sources for electricity, heat, and transport. By 2030, renewable shares should exceed 30% of ‘total final energy consumption’, up from 18% in 2019, if the world wants to attain net-zero energy emissions by 2050.
Energy efficiency should also be prioritized, with a consistent improvement rate over 4% for this decade required for reaching net-zero emissions from the energy sector by 2050. Finally, energy efficiency policies and investments need considerable scaling-up to bring the SDG 7.3 target closer to realization.