UN report: 655 mln people still live without electricity

The latest edition of Tracking Sustainable Development Goal 7: The Energy Progress Report also found that 1.8 billion people continue to use polluting fuels and technologies for cooking, exposing them to serious health and environmental risks.

Sub-Saharan Africa remains the region most affected by energy poverty. The report estimates that more than 560 million people lack access to electricity, while approximately 970 million are without clean cooking solutions. To achieve universal electricity access by 2030, the report said, electrification in the region would need to triple in pace.

Despite ongoing challenges, the report emphasized notable progress across several areas of sustainable energy. In particular, renewable energy sources continued to expand, accounting for more than 30% of global electricity consumption.

However, the UN warned that without sufficient efforts, the world will not succeed in Sustainable Development Goal 7 targets, which aims to ensure universal access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy by 2030. Furthermore, as the global energy crisis intensifies, it is expected to have a considerable impact on energy markets and the wider economy.

The report highlighted that in the run-up to 2030, key priorities include stronger political leadership, better cross-sector coordination, and a strategic focus on countries and communities most at risk of being left behind.

It also emphasized that clear policy signals and sustained implementation are crucial for diversifying the national energy mix, increasing renewable energy use, decreasing reliance on fossil fuel imports, and strengthening macroeconomic resilience to global supply chain disruptions.

“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,” said Li Junhua, UN Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs.

He added that the current global energy crisis presents an opportunity to accelerate the transition to clean energy in support of energy security.

“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," Li Junhua stated.

Earlier, Qazinform News Agency reported that the UN calls for stronger global cooperation on water and climate.