Energy

Tracking SDG7: The Energy Progress Report The Energy Progress Report aims to provide the international community with a global dashboard to register progress on energy access, energy efficiency, renewable energy and international cooperation to advance SDG7. https://www.worldbank.org/ext/en/topic/energy Energy is the lifeline of a modern economy and a foundation for jobs, productivity, and economic growth. Without energy, hospitals can’t operate, businesses can’t grow, and students can’t study after dark. Expanding access to reliable and affordable energy can raise living standards, safeguard essential services, create jobs, drive digitalization, and propel growth. But 655 million people are without electricity, and millions more have unreliable power; two billion people, mostly in Sub-Saharan Africa, still rely on polluting fuels for cooking. That means they don’t have adequate, reliable, and affordable energy for lighting, cooking, heating, and other daily activities. Most of them lack an electrical connection, and millions more suffer frequent power outages, equipment malfunctions, or gaps in their distribution network. The consequences are severe: When people lack access to energy, they are less healthy and are denied opportunities to improve their lives and lift themselves out of poverty; they are also less able to cope with climate change, natural disasters, and extreme weather events.