A UN-backed report has warned that the world is drifting off course in its efforts to achieve universal energy access by 2030, with Sub-Saharan Africa facing a widening energy crisis despite record growth in renewable power.
The findings, published in the latest Tracking SDG 7: The Energy Progress Report, reveal that more than 655 million people around the world remain without electricity, while nearly 2 billion continue to rely on polluting fuels and technologies for cooking.
The report highlights a growing divide between countries benefiting from the clean energy transition and those still struggling to provide basic energy services. It notes that more than 560 million people in Sub-Saharan Africa lack electricity, while nearly one billion remain without access to clean cooking solutions.
According to the report, although renewable energy now accounts for more than 30 per cent of global electricity generation and investments in clean energy continue to rise, millions of people remain excluded from these gains.
The report warns that progress in Sub-Saharan Africa has slowed significantly and that the pace of electrification must triple if the world is to meet Sustainable Development Goal 7, which seeks to ensure access to affordable, reliable and sustainable energy for all by the end of the decade.
The findings underscore a growing paradox at the heart of the global energy transition. While wealthy nations are accelerating investments in solar, wind and battery technologies, many poorer countries remain trapped in energy poverty.
Valerie Levkov, Vice-President for Infrastructure at the World Bank Group, said the consequences extend far beyond energy access.
“Millions of people still live without access to electricity,” she said, warning that communities are being denied opportunities for economic growth, job creation and development.
Levkov argued that while proven technologies and financing models already exist, constrained public budgets mean significantly greater private-sector investment will be needed to bridge the gap.
Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organisation, described access to clean energy as a public health priority rather than merely an energy issue.
“Universal access to clean and sustainable energy is not merely an energy challenge; it is a fundamental health imperative,” he said.
Tedros warned that household air pollution continues to cause millions of deaths and disabilities while deepening inequalities among displaced populations and other vulnerable communities.
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The report estimates that without stronger action, 1.8 billion people could still be relying on polluting cooking fuels by 2030.
Nearly one-quarter of the world’s population continues to depend on fuels such as charcoal, firewood, kerosene and coal for daily cooking. The health consequences are severe, with household air pollution linked to an estimated three million deaths each year.
Women and girls often bear the greatest burden, spending hours collecting fuel while facing prolonged exposure to toxic smoke.
Global electricity access has stagnated at 92 per cent, while annual growth has slowed to roughly half the rate recorded during the previous decade. In rural Sub-Saharan Africa, the number of people without electricity has actually increased, rising from 376 million in 2010 to 447 million in 2024 as population growth continues to outpace new connections.
For many households, the challenge is no longer simply the absence of infrastructure. Even where electricity networks exist, connection fees, wiring costs and monthly energy bills remain beyond the reach of many families.
One of the report’s starkest findings concerns international financing. Although public financial flows supporting clean energy in developing countries increased slightly to $24.6 billion in 2024, support for the world’s poorest nations declined. Funding for least-developed countries fell by 11 per cent to $3.7 billion, raising concerns that countries with the greatest needs are receiving less support.
Most international clean energy finance continues to be provided through loans rather than grants, increasing debt burdens for already financially constrained governments.
Energy experts warn that without a significant increase in concessional financing and targeted investment, achieving universal energy access will remain out of reach.
With just four years remaining until the 2030 deadline, the report delivers a clear message to policymakers: technological solutions already exist, but political commitment and financial support are failing to keep pace with the scale of the challenge.
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