According to the 2024 Sustainable Development Report, progress in these nations has been uneven, with significant strides forward but formidable challenges remaining.
The percentage of the global population with access to electricity has improved significantly in many developing regions. For example, East and South Asia have shown a notable increase in access, with countries like India achieving near-universal electrification. However, Sub-Saharan Africa continues to lag, with several countries still struggling to provide electricity to large portions of their populations. Access to clean cooking fuels and technologies, another critical aspect of SDG 7, remains a significant challenge in many developing countries. Despite improvements, a substantial portion of the population in Sub-Saharan Africa and parts of South Asia still relies on traditional biomass for cooking, which poses severe health risks and environmental impacts.
Moving forward
Despite some progress, the pace of renewable energy adoption in developing countries is insufficient to meet the 2030 targets. For instance, renewable energy still accounts for only a small share of total final energy consumption in low-income countries. This slow progress is attributed to several factors, including inadequate infrastructure, financial constraints, and policy barriers. To overcome these barriers, policymakers in developing countries need to focus on creating stable and transparent policy environments that encourage investment in clean and renewable energy. This includes setting clear renewable energy targets, offering incentives for energy efficiency, and removing subsidies for fossil fuels.
We also need more international cooperation to finance clean energy investments in developing countries. A good example is the Just Energy Transition Partnership between France, Germany, South Africa, the UK, the USA, and the EU, which was launched at last year’s UN Climate Conference (UNFCCC COP28). Financial and technical assistance from developed countries and international organizations also needs to increase to support large-scale renewable energy projects and provide grants and concessional loans for energy infrastructure development.