News
- Pace of progress on sustainable energy goals on energy access, renewable energy and energy efficiency fell short of what is needed to meet global objectives by 2030.
In every area of sustainable energy, a number of countries are outperforming the world, despite slower than required progress overall to achieve global energy access, renewable energy and energy efficiency goals, a new report finds.
Entitled Global Tracking Framework 2017 – Progress Toward Sustainable Energy, the report points to the International Energy Agency’s projections to show that at the current rate of progress, only 91 percent of the world will have electricity access in 2030, while only 72 percent will have access to clean cooking. Improvements in energy intensity are also projected to fall short of the 2030 goal while the share of renewables will only reach 21 percent by that time.
Those estimates underscore the need for urgent action.
Energy is the cornerstone of economic growth. With access to modern, reliable and affordable energy, a child can study at night, small businesses can thrive, women can walk home under the safety of working streetlights and hospitals can function efficiently and save lives. That is why reaching Sustainable Energy for All’s (SEforALL) objectives of universal access to modern energy, doubling the rate of improvement of energy efficiency and doubling the share of renewable energy by 2030 is crucial.
To make meaningful improvements, higher levels of financing and bolder policy commitments, along with the willingness on countries’ part to embrace new technologies on a much wider scale are essential, according to the report.