Course 7: Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy
- The global electricity access rate increased from 83 per cent in 2010 to 91 per cent in 2020. Over this period, the number of people without electricity shrank from 1.2 billion to 733 million.
- From 2018 to 2020, the electricity access rate rose by an average of 0.5 percentage points annually, compared to 0.8 percentage points between 2010 and 2018.
- At the current pace, only 92 per cent of the world’s population would have access to electricity in 2030, leaving 670 million people unserved.
- Due to economic pressures imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic, up to 90 million people connected to electricity in Africa and developing countries in Asia could not afford to have an extended bundle of services in 2020.
- Between 2010 and 2020, the proportion of people with access to clean cooking fuels and technologies increased from 57 per cent to 69 per cent.
- 4 billion people still relied on inefficient and polluting cooking systems in 2020.
- The share of renewables in total final energy consumption reached 17.7 per cent in 2019, 1.6 percentage points higher than in 2010.
- Global primary energy intensity (energy efficiency) improved from 5.6 megajoules per US dollar in 2010 to 4.7 in 2019, with an average annual improvement rate of 1.9 per cent.
- To meet energy efficiency target, the annual rate of improvement until 2030 will need to average 3.2 per cent a year.
- International public financial flows to developing countries in support of clean energy amounted to $10.9 billion in 2019, down by nearly 24 per cent from the previous year.
- The five-year moving average also decreased for the first time since 2008, from $17.5 billion for 2014–2018 to $16.6 billion for 2015–2019.
- Loans accounted for over 52 per cent of commitments in 2019. Grants comprised almost 17 per cent. Shares in collective investment vehicles grew to $191 million in 2019, up by 91 per cent from 2018.
7.1 By 2030, ensure universal access to affordable, reliable and modern energy services
7.2 By 2030, increase substantially the share of renewable energy in the global energy mix
7.3 By 2030, double the global rate of improvement in energy efficiency
7.A By 2030, enhance international cooperation to facilitate access to clean energy research and technology, including renewable energy, energy efficiency and advanced and cleaner fossil-fuel technology, and promote investment in energy infrastructure and clean energy technology
7.B By 2030, expand infrastructure and upgrade technology for supplying modern and sustainable energy services for all in developing countries, in particular least developed countries, small island developing States, and land-locked developing countries, in accordance with their respective programmes of support
