Core issues in 2026

The Persistent Global Energy Access Gap

Despite significant progress, universal access to modern energy remains far from achieved. In 2024, 655 million people still lacked access to electricity, with more than 560 million living in Sub-Saharan Africa. Rural, low-income and conflict-affected communities are increasingly concentrated among those left behind, and the current pace of electrification would need to approximately triple to achieve universal access by 2030. Expanding grids, mini-grids and off-grid renewable systems therefore remains one of the central challenges of SDG 7 (International Energy Agency [IEA] et al., 2026). 

Clean Cooking and Energy Poverty

Access to electricity alone does not guarantee access to modern energy. Around two billion people still rely on polluting fuels and technologies for cooking, including wood, charcoal, coal and kerosene. The problem is particularly severe in Sub-Saharan Africa, where approximately 970 million people lack clean cooking access. Expanding electric cooking, bioethanol, biogas and other clean alternatives is therefore essential for improving health, reducing household pollution and achieving SDG 7 (IEA et al., 2026). 

Renewable Energy Expansion and Infrastructure

Renewable energy is expanding at record speed and now provides more than 30% of global electricity consumption. However, progress remains highly unequal between countries and considerably slower in sectors such as transport and heating. Furthermore, rapid growth in solar and wind power requires major investment in electricity grids, storage and transmission infrastructure. More than 2,500 GW of renewable, storage and other projects are currently waiting in grid connection queues worldwide, demonstrating that infrastructure is becoming a major constraint on the energy transition (United Nations Statistics Division, 2026, IEA, 2026). 

Financing an Equitable Energy Transition

The global energy transition also faces a major financing inequality. International public financial flows supporting clean energy in developing countries reached USD 24.6 billion in 2024, but funding remains insufficient and unevenly distributed. Particularly concerning is that financial flows to Least Developed Countries declined by 11% and those to Small Island Developing States by 5%. Ensuring that poorer and vulnerable countries can finance renewable generation, electricity infrastructure and energy-efficiency improvements is therefore essential to prevent the clean-energy transition from widening existing global inequalities (United Nations Statistics Division, 2026). 

LIST OF REFERENCES

International Energy Agency. (2026). Electricity 2026: Grids. Retrieved October 20, 2026, from https://www.iea.org/reports/electricity-2026/grids

International Energy Agency, International Renewable Energy Agency, United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, World Bank, & World Health Organization. (2026). Tracking SDG 7: The Energy Progress Report 2026. https://www.iea.org/reports/tracking-sdg7-the-energy-progress-report-2026

United Nations Statistics Division. (2026). The Sustainable Development Goals Report 2026: Goal 7 - Affordable and Clean Energy. United Nations Department of   Economic and Social Affairs. Retrieved October 20, 2026 from https://unstats.un.org/sdgs/report/2026/Goal-07/