Tracking SDG 7: The Energy Progress Report Reveals Alarming Slowdown in Universal Access Amidst Global Energy Crisis

The world is significantly off track to achieve universal access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy by 2030, with a critical slowdown in progress observed particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa, according to the latest edition of the "Tracking SDG 7: The Energy Progress Report." This comprehensive analysis, featuring new 2023 and 2024 data, underscores a stark reality: 655 million people globally still live without electricity, and a staggering two billion rely on polluting fuels and technologies for cooking, jeopardizing their health and well-being. The findings, released ahead of their presentation at the High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF) in New York in July 2026, paint a picture of uneven progress and an urgent call for scaled-up action.

The Global Energy Divide: A Stark Reality

The report highlights that the burden of energy poverty is disproportionately borne by Sub-Saharan Africa. Over 560 million people in the region currently lack access to electricity, representing more than 85% of the global unelectrified population. Furthermore, 970 million people across Sub-Saharan Africa are deprived of clean cooking solutions, exposing them to severe health risks from indoor air pollution and perpetuating cycles of poverty and gender inequality. While most other regions are nearing universal access, the pace of electrification in Sub-Saharan Africa has decelerated significantly, demanding a threefold increase in the current rate of progress to meet the 2030 target. This slowdown is particularly concerning given the ambitious timeline of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), adopted by UN member states in 2015 as part of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. SDG 7 specifically aims to "ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all," encompassing targets for universal access to energy services (7.1), increasing the share of renewable energy (7.2), improving energy efficiency (7.3), and enhancing international cooperation (7.a, 7.b).

Progress and Peril: Renewable Energy on the Rise, Yet Not Enough

Despite the overarching challenges, the report identifies pockets of encouraging progress within the sustainable energy landscape. Renewable energy sources continue their robust expansion, now accounting for over 30% of global electricity consumption. This surge has led to a global record in renewable energy-generating capacity, reaching 544 watts per person – an amount sufficient to power a standard refrigerator. Such advancements signify a growing global commitment to decarbonization and a recognition of renewables’ potential to enhance energy security. Moreover, international public financial flows supporting clean energy in developing countries saw a slight increase, reaching US$24.6 billion. Improvements in global energy efficiency also continued, with a recorded rate of 3.76 megajoules per US dollar of economic output.

However, these positive trends, while commendable, are insufficient to bridge the vast energy access gaps and meet the ambitious SDG 7 targets. The report issues a stern warning: without urgent and substantially scaled-up action, the world will inevitably fall short of its 2030 commitments. The current global energy crisis, triggered by a confluence of factors including post-pandemic demand surges, geopolitical tensions, and supply chain disruptions, further complicates the scenario. Its unfolding impacts on energy markets and the broader global economy are expected to be profound, making the transition to sustainable energy even more critical yet potentially more challenging for vulnerable nations.

Sub-Saharan Africa: The Epicenter of the Challenge

The deceleration of electrification rates in Sub-Saharan Africa is a multi-faceted problem. Beyond the sheer scale of the unelectrified population, the region grapples with low population densities in many rural areas, high upfront connection costs, and a lack of robust infrastructure. The affordability crisis is particularly acute: even where electricity infrastructure exists, a significant number of households cannot afford connection fees, internal wiring costs, or the ongoing charges for basic energy services. This economic barrier effectively locks millions out of the modern energy system, perpetuating poverty and hindering development. Addressing this requires innovative financial mechanisms, including targeted subsidies, results-based financing, and solutions designed to minimize the upfront costs for end-users.

Financial Roadblocks and Innovative Solutions

Financing constraints emerge as a critical impediment to progress. The report reveals that financial flows are either insufficient to meet the ambitious SDG 7 goals or, more alarmingly, are declining in the poorest countries. International financial support for clean energy to the Least Developed Countries (LDCs) experienced a significant setback, registering a mere $3.7 billion in 2024 – an 11% decrease from 2023. This decline is particularly concerning as LDCs often lack the domestic capital and institutional capacity to drive large-scale energy transitions independently.

In this challenging financial landscape, accelerating domestic renewable energy deployment is increasingly recognized as a dual solution: it bolsters energy security and affordability while simultaneously advancing long-term climate and development objectives. Distributed renewable energy solutions, such as off-grid solar home systems and mini-grids, are proving to be highly cost-effective for expanding electricity access, already serving hundreds of millions of people globally. These decentralized systems offer flexibility and can be deployed rapidly in remote areas, bypassing the need for extensive grid infrastructure. Similarly, electric cooking, bioethanol, and biogas are gaining traction as scalable renewable energy cooking solutions, offering diverse pathways to clean cooking and helping to mitigate the health and environmental impacts of traditional biomass fuels. These solutions, however, require sustained investment, supportive policy frameworks, and robust supply chains to achieve widespread adoption.

Voices of Authority: Expert Perspectives

The report’s findings are accompanied by urgent calls to action from the heads of the custodian agencies.

Fatih Birol, Executive Director of the International Energy Agency (IEA), emphasized the foundational nature of clean cooking and electricity access. "Access to modern energy starts with two fundamentals: clean cooking and electricity," Birol stated. "Since 2010, 1.5 billion people have gained access to clean cooking and 800 million have gained access to electricity, showing that with the right policies, progress is possible. The IEA is working with governments, industry and international partners to accelerate the investment and policy action needed to achieve universal access worldwide, particularly for clean cooking. While SDG7 is an energy goal, its benefits extend far beyond the energy sector – improving health, expanding economic opportunity, strengthening security and building more resilient communities." His comments underscore the interconnectedness of energy access with broader socio-economic development.

Francesco La Camera, Director-General of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), highlighted the strategic importance of renewables in an era of global energy instability. "Recent global energy shocks have made one thing clear: countries with strong renewable energy capacity are better positioned to withstand economic and supply disruptions," La Camera remarked. "Accelerating the deployment of cost-competitive domestic renewables must now be central to strengthening both energy security and economic resilience, while pursuing SDG 7. To achieve this, the international community must prioritise affordable and tailored financial support, particularly for least developed countries facing the greatest barriers to access."

Li Junhua, Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs at the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA), expressed concern over the uneven pace of progress. "We have seen encouraging progress in expanding access to affordable, reliable and clean energy in recent years. However, this year’s report shows that millions of people still lack access, making clear that progress is not keeping pace with the ambition of Sustainable Development Goal 7, and that disparities across countries remain significant," Li Junhua noted. He stressed that the current global energy crisis presents an opportunity, "Seizing this opportunity will require substantial scaling-up of international support and investment. We cannot afford complacency. The time to act with greater urgency and ambition is now."

Valerie Levkov, Vice President for Infrastructure at the World Bank Group, underscored the economic imperative. "Energy security and affordability have become global priorities, and this will remain a defining challenge for years to come. Electricity demand is growing rapidly, yet millions of people still live without access to electricity, with Sub-Saharan Africa bearing the greatest burden and missing out on opportunities for economic growth, jobs, and development," Levkov said. She reaffirmed the availability of solutions, "We have the solutions to accelerate progress—proven technologies, effective financing models, and strong partnerships—but constrained public budgets mean we must also mobilize much greater private sector investment. Working together, we can deliver reliable, affordable energy to the people who need it most."

Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), forcefully articulated the health dimension of energy poverty. "Universal access to clean and sustainable energy is not merely an energy challenge; it is a fundamental health imperative. Household air pollution from cooking fuels costs millions of lives, causes long-term disease and disability, and harms our environment. It disproportionately burdens displaced populations and women and girls who spend hours gathering fuels, exacerbating inequality for the most vulnerable," Dr. Ghebreyesus stated. He concluded by emphasizing the multifaceted benefits of clean cooking: "Amid an unprecedented crisis in energy security, a transition to clean cooking is essential to promote health, gender equality, mitigate climate change and to reduce costs for households and governments."

Policy Imperatives and Broader Implications

The report emphasizes that stronger political leadership, improved cross-sector coordination, and a strategic focus on the countries and communities most at risk of being left behind are paramount priorities leading up to 2030. Clear policy signals and sustained implementation are fundamental to diversifying national energy mixes, increasing renewable energy penetration, reducing dependence on volatile fossil fuel imports, and bolstering macroeconomic resilience against global supply chain disruptions. This includes developing robust regulatory frameworks, providing incentives for private sector investment, and integrating energy planning with broader development goals like health, education, and economic growth.

The failure to achieve SDG 7 by 2030 carries profound implications across multiple dimensions. Economically, energy poverty stifles industrial growth, limits job creation, and reduces productivity. Socially, it perpetuates health crises (e.g., respiratory diseases from indoor air pollution, burns), restricts educational opportunities (lack of light for studying), and exacerbates gender inequality by burdening women and girls with time-consuming and dangerous fuel collection. Environmentally, reliance on fossil fuels and unsustainable biomass contributes to climate change, deforestation, and air pollution. Geopolitically, energy insecurity can heighten regional instability and create vulnerabilities to global market shocks. The current global energy crisis only amplifies these risks, making the imperative for a swift and equitable energy transition more urgent than ever.

The Road to HLPF 2026

The "Tracking SDG 7: The Energy Progress Report" serves as a critical global dashboard, monitoring progress on energy access, energy efficiency, renewable energy, and international cooperation. This year’s edition, chaired by UN DESA, will be formally presented to decision-makers at a special launch event on July 8, 2026. This event will follow an in-depth review of SDG 7 at the High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development in New York, the central UN platform for follow-up and review of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals. The HLPF 2026 will be a pivotal moment for governments and stakeholders to assess collective progress, identify bottlenecks, and commit to accelerated action.

The report is a collaborative effort by the SDG 7 custodian agencies: the International Energy Agency (IEA), the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), the Statistics Division of the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA), the World Bank, and the World Health Organization (WHO). Funding for the report was generously provided by the World Bank’s Energy Sector Management Assistance Program (ESMAP). The full report is available for download at https://trackingsdg7.esmap.org/.