655 million people still living without electricity underscore urgent need to deliver on universal energy access target: Tracking SDG 7

PARIS, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News / WAM - 26th Jun, 2026) At a time when energy security and affordability have risen to the top of the development agenda, 655 million people globally still lack access to electricity, and two billion use polluting fuels and technologies for cooking putting their health and well-being at risk. Sub-Saharan Africa bears a disproportionate share of these gaps, with over 560 million living without electricity and 970 million lacking access to clean cooking.

The latest edition of Tracking SDG 7: The Energy Progress Report, featuring new 2023 and 2024 data, shows while most regions are nearing universal access, progress in Sub-Saharan Africa has slowed significantly, and the pace of electrification must triple to achieve universal access by 2030. Despite these challenges, the report highlights encouraging progress in several areas of sustainable energy.

Renewable energy continued its strong expansion, accounting for over 30% of global electricity consumption; while renewable energy-generating capacity reached a global record of 544 watts per person.

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International public financial flows supporting clean energy in developing countries increased slightly to $24.6 billion; and improvements in global energy efficiency continued to reach 3.76 megajoules per US Dollar, although this remains an insufficient pace to meet the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 7 targets.

However, the report warns that without urgent and scaled-up action, the world will fall short of achieving SDG 7 to ensure universal access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy by 2030. Moreover, while the current global energy crisis is still unfolding, its impact on energy markets and the broader economy are expected to be significant.

Financing constraints are hampering progress, with levels either insufficient to meet the SDG 7 goals or declining altogether in the poorest countries. International financial flows in support of clean energy to the least developed countries declined significantly, registering $3.7 billion in 2024, an 11% decrease from 2023.