UN Sustainable Development Goal 7

E SDG Icons 07 Energy is crucial for achieving almost all of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, from its role in the eradication of poverty through advancements in health, education, water supply and industrialization, to combating climate change.

The proportion of the global population with access to electricity has increased steadily, from 79 per cent in 2000 to 85 per cent in 2012. Still, are without this valuable service. Recent global progress in this area has been driven largely by Asia, where access is expanding at more than twice the pace of demographic growth. Of those gaining access to electricity worldwide since 2010, 80 per cent are urban dwellers.

The proportion of the world’s population with access to clean fuels and technologies for cooking increased from 51 per cent in 2000 to 58 per cent in 2014, although there has been limited progress since 2010. The absolute number of people relying on polluting fuels and technologies for cooking, such as solid fuels and kerosene, however, has actually increased, reaching an estimated three billion people. Limited progress since 2010 falls substantially short of global population growth and is almost exclusively confined to urban areas.

Sources: Report of the United Nations Secretary-General, "Progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals", ; .

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By 2030

ensure universal access to affordable, reliable and modern energy services.
increase substantially the share of renewable energy in the global energy mix.
double the global rate of improvement in energy efficiency.
enhance international cooperation to facilitate access to clean energy research and technology.
expand infrastructure and upgrade technology for supplying modern and sustainable energy services for all in developing countries in accordance with their respective programmes of support.