Consider a reality in which the cost of solar panels keeps declining each year, wind farms are hitting new highs, and renewable energy is being developed more rapidly than at any point. But even with all this rapid progress, there are still millions of families who return home every evening to no electricity. Children have difficulty studying after dark, hospitals cannot store medicines that could save lives, and women still cook their meals over smoky fires that are dangerous for their health.
This is one of the greatest contradictions of our time.
Despite the significant progress in energy transition across the globe, the benefits have not been equally distributed. Although many countries are investing billions of dollars in renewable energy, a great number of people lack access to basic energy services at present. The report titled Tracking SDG 7: The Energy Progress Report 2026 (released by the International Energy Agency, the International Renewable Energy Agency, the World Bank, the World Health Organization, and the United Nations Statistics Division) provides both positive results and a warning at the same time. The world is moving towards cleaner energy sources, but it is behind schedule in the implementation of SDG 7 and in ensuring the availability of affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy for all by 2030.
Prospects for renewable energy are surely very bright in the world economy in general. Solar and wind power technologies could be called mainstream today, and the days when their application was limited to only several industries are long gone. Investment in renewable sources has reached unprecedented levels, marking a major evolution in the energy sector. These changes became possible mainly due to developments in battery storage technologies, decreasing equipment prices, and the implementation of beneficial government policies favouring renewable technology development in different countries. Today, countries are willing to use renewable energy not only as a solution to climate issues but also as a measure aimed at ensuring energy independence from imported fossil fuel supplies and developing new branches of the economy.
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The report notes that the diffusion of renewable energy usage continues everywhere on the planet. The share of renewableon with the help of renewables has been expanding significantly over the last decade. The strongest growth in this sphere is observed in the solar and wind energy sectors. These areas have grown due to continuous technological advances and a drop in expenditures in the production sphere
However, success in renewable energy tells only part of the global story.
The true measure of success will not be the number of wind turbines standing on distant hills, but whether every child can study under electric light, every health clinic has reliable power, and every family can cook without risking their health
The enormous figures for investments and new energy projects conceal an important reality that does not get enough attention: millions of people around the globe still live without access to electricity. Electric vehicles, smart grids, and hydrogen technologies mean very little to these populations, as they are primarily concerned with such simple issues as turning on a light, charging a phone, powering a school, and running a business. According to the report, approximately 655 million people in the world lived without electricity in 2024. The global electricity access rate is almost 92%, but its growth has recently slowed down significantly. Consequently, the world is unlikely to achieve universal electricity access by the end of the decade. To meet the target set for 2030, electrification rates must be raised significantly.
This challenge becomes even more complicated in terms of clean cooking. Approximately two billion people still use old-fashioned fuels like firewood and charcoal to prepare food. Cooking methods using open fires or inefficient stoves lead to indoor air pollution, which can be harmful and contribute to the onset of respiratory illnesses and premature deaths, especially among women and young children. In addition to health issues, the collection of fuel often takes hours and prevents people from spending time in school or at work. Geography is an important factor in this challenge as well. Many Asian countries have achieved significant progress during the last decade, while Sub-Saharan Africa is still faced with severe energy access issues. Due to factors such as population growth, a lack of infrastructure and funding, political instability, and other adverse conditions, many countries have experienced delays in their electrification processes.
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The divergence between the development of renewable energy and ongoing energy deprivation prompts a significant inquiry. Since clean energy technologies have become cheaper and more efficient than ever, why are there so many individuals remaining without access to even basic electricity services? The explanation lies not in technology but in financing, planning, governance, and affordability. Building renewable generation facilities may not guarantee connecting rural settlements or poor areas with an electricity supply. Modern energy systems require transmission lines, distribution systems, local mini-grids, financing facilities, and a skilled workforce. However, many developing countries lack these key components.
The study also notes that energy is much more than electricity itself. It is the foundation of a modern healthcare system, quality education, clean water, digital connectivity, industrial growth, and economic opportunity. Without energy, hospitals cannot provide quality medical care, producers cannot manufacture goods, farmers cannot operate at full capacity, and students cannot participate fully in the digital economy. For this reason, Sustainable Development Goal 7 is connected with almost all other Sustainable Development Goals.
The positive aspect is that the solutions are already available. Renewable energy technologies are improving, the price of batteries is going down, and decentralised systems like solar mini-grids and stand-alone solar home systems enable the provision of electricity to communities that used to be regarded as too remote or costly to connect. Such technologies make it possible for developing countries to skip adopting traditional energy systems and instead create cleaner and more reliable infrastructure from scratch. But technology alone cannot solve the problem. The coming years will require more international cooperation, greater funding for developing economies, better national planning, and policies aimed at prioritising people over the sheer production of energy on a global scale. The race for renewable energy continues, and the problem now is ensuring that every family reaches the finish line regardless of its geographical position.
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Energy Poverty Is More Than a Lack of Electricity
People commonly think about energy poverty as a lack of electricity in the home, but it is much more than that. Energy poverty influences education, healthcare, food security, the economy, and even gender equity.
For a child, electricity is a chance to study after sunset. For a hospital, it is the ability to use medical devices, store vaccines, and provide care 24/7. For a farmer, it is about operating irrigation systems and food processing devices. For a small business owner, having access to electricity can make the difference between the survival of a business and its closure. Without modern energy, development slows in every sector.
According to the 2026 SDG 7 report, the level of access to electricity around the world stands at 92 percent. Despite being a significant achievement when compared to two decades ago, this number translates into nearly 655 million people still being without power in 2024. An alarming fact is that the pace of connecting communities has slowed down. If governments do not intensify their investment and reform efforts, the target of universal access to electricity by 2030 will not be accomplished. The cause of this slowdown is quite straightforward. Many countries have already connected the easiest locations to the grid. The remaining underserved communities are often situated in very remote places, such as mountainous regions, islands, or conflict zones, making it highly expensive and difficult to work in such areas. Besides, many families cannot afford either the connection fees or the electricity bill itself, even if the infrastructure is available. This implies that the next phase of electrification should involve smarter initiatives instead of simply building more power stations.
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According to the report, Sub-Saharan Africa faces the biggest difficulty in terms of power accessibility. More than 560 million people in this region still do not have electricity, which makes this region the primary area of energy deprivation. There are many reasons for this situation. The currently high population growth indicates that millions of households need power every year. Also, poor governance, weak power infrastructure, unstable politics, and conflicts are slowing down investments in this region. Nigeria, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Ethiopia are some of the countries where electricity is not available for many people, causing difficulties in rural areas where connections are hard to build because of the vast distances. In comparison, some countries in Central and Southern Asia have progressed tremendously regarding the electrification of their regions due to their successful policies and investments.
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Electricity is only one part of modern energy access. Another challenge that receives far less public attention is clean cooking.
Many families in developing countries still use wood, charcoal, crop residues, coal, or animal waste for cooking. While these fuels have been used throughout the ages for cooking purposes, they do release smoke that fills kitchens and causes harmful emissions. As per the report, approximately two billion people still rely on polluting cooking fuels and technologies. This not only has energy implications but is also a public health issue. Indoor air pollution causes respiratory diseases, heart disease, and several other serious health issues. Women and children are particularly at risk since they spend more time around cooking areas. Moreover, in many rural communities, women and girls spend hours during the week collecting wood instead of studying or earning money. A girl might walk miles each day to collect cooking fuel. This deprives her of the opportunity to get a proper education. Besides, the report indicates that schools, health facilities, refugee camps, and other public places often use traditional cooking fuels; this can be improved by substituting them with electricity, biogas, or cleaner fuels in order to cut costs and improve health conditions.
Renewable Energy Is Breaking Records
These challenges notwithstanding, people have a reason to be optimistic. Renewable energy is one of the fastest-growing sectors of the world economy today. Solar panels are much cheaper than they were ten years ago, and wind turbines have become much larger, more efficient, and able to generate more energy. The report says that renewable energy keeps increasing its share in total global energy consumption. Much of this growth has been thanks to solar and wind energy, as technology costs are falling, government policies are becoming stronger, and investments from the private sector are growing. Hydropower continues to be very important in providing countries with renewable electricity today.
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Meanwhile, renewable electricity is becoming increasingly used in the transportation sector with the help of electric vehicles and electrified rail systems. Countries like China, Brazil, Canada, Germany, and Great Britain have taken considerable steps in the use of renewable energy. Their experience teaches that long-term policies, certainty in investment, and new technologies can help transform the whole national energy system. Still, the growth of renewable energy is uneven between different regions of the world. Rich countries continue to outpace poor ones in the installation of renewable energy generation capacity.
Energy Efficiency: The Forgotten Climate Solution
When it comes to discussions surrounding climate change, it is often renewable energy that attracts the most attention. However, the truth is that a much easier and faster way to cut back on emissions is to use energy more efficiently. Energy efficiency means that less power is used in the process of obtaining the same services. Energy saving is possible through better insulation of buildings, improved efficiency of air conditioners, LED lighting, modern industrial equipment, electric trains, and fuel-saving automobiles. The report claims that global energy efficiency improvements are lagging behind the required levels for the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals. The present pace does not meet even the annual required rate to be reached before 2030. This situation is important because every unit of saved energy helps release pressure from the power grid, save resources for consumers, reduce the import of energy carriers, and help cut emissions. Energy efficiency should not be treated by rapidly developing economies as a non-obligatory environmental agenda item, but rather as an economic strategy corresponding to their policy of sustainable development.
The journey towards worldwide access to energy goes beyond technicalities. There is also a financial aspect to consider. According to the SDG 7 report, investment in renewable energy around the world is on the rise but does not get to where it is needed the most. Most investments in renewable energy are made in advanced and emerging countries where the financial situation is stable and infrastructure is developed. Low-income countries, especially in Africa, still have difficulty attracting the necessary funding. This imbalance leads to a vicious cycle. Countries that are most in need of modern energy lack affordable financial resources. Investors may think such markets are risky due to political instability, inefficient institutions, currency changes, and other factors. Therefore, millions of people are still in energy poverty despite living in areas with abundant sun, wind, and other potential for renewables.
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Technology Alone Will Not Solve the Problem
Modern technology has transformed the global energy sector. Solar panels have become more efficient, wind turbines generate more electricity than ever before, battery storage is improving rapidly, and digital technologies are making electricity networks smarter and more reliable. Yet, technology alone cannot guarantee universal energy access.
A solar panel placed in a warehouse will be useless to a village until an efficient energy system is created. A wind farm is not going to change the lives of people if electricity cannot reach homes, hospitals, and schools. The success of clean energy projects is determined by the ability to build reliable transmission lines and local distribution networks, alongside providing qualified personnel, maintenance services, accessible financing, and effective policies that guarantee long-term investments. Governments need very clear regulations for investors and protection for consumers. Long-term planning is highly important because energy infrastructure is made to work for communities for many years, not only for a couple of years. In many rural regions, decentralised energy systems serve as effective solutions. Solar mini-grids and stand-alone solar home systems can supply electricity to communities where extending the national grid is economically or technically impossible. This technology is already changing the lives of many people in some underdeveloped countries where electricity is used for lighting, education, medicine, irrigation, and business.
The Energy Transition Must Be Fair
One of the most important messages from the report is that the energy transition should not be measured only by the number of solar panels installed or wind turbines constructed. A successful transition is one that improves people’s lives.
Climate action and social development should move forward together. A country cannot claim success if it builds thousands of megawatts of renewable energy while millions of its citizens still lack electricity or rely on polluting fuels for cooking. This principle is often described as a just and inclusive energy transition. It means ensuring that the shift towards cleaner energy creates opportunities for everyone, including rural communities, low-income households, women, and young people. For developing countries, clean energy can become a powerful driver of economic growth. Expanding renewable energy creates jobs in manufacturing, construction, engineering, operation, and maintenance. It improves energy security by reducing dependence on imported fossil fuels. It also supports cleaner air, better public health, and greater resilience against future energy price shocks.
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The findings of the SDG 7 report also carry important lessons for Pakistan. Pakistan has significant renewable energy resources, including abundant sunshine, strong wind corridors in Sindh and Balochistan, and considerable hydropower potential. At the same time, the country faces challenges related to electricity affordability, transmission losses, energy security, and dependence on imported fuels. Expanding renewable energy should therefore go hand in hand with improving energy efficiency, modernising electricity networks, encouraging distributed solar generation, and ensuring that underserved rural communities gain access to reliable and affordable electricity. Pakistan can also benefit from investing in cleaner transport systems, including electrified railways and metro networks powered increasingly by renewable electricity. Such investments not only reduce greenhouse gas emissions but also improve urban air quality, reduce fuel imports, and support long-term economic development.
The transition to clean energy is not simply an environmental objective. It is an opportunity to strengthen national energy security, attract investment, create skilled employment, and improve the quality of life for millions of people.
The deadline for achieving Sustainable Development Goal 7 is now only a few years away. The world has demonstrated that rapid progress is possible. Renewable energy is expanding at an unprecedented pace, technology continues to improve, and the cost of clean energy has fallen dramatically over the past decade. However, the report also delivers a clear warning. Progress alone is not enough if it leaves millions of people behind. The next stage of the global energy transition must focus not only on generating cleaner electricity but also on ensuring that every person can benefit from it. Universal access to electricity and clean cooking should become equal priorities alongside expanding renewable energy capacity and improving energy efficiency. Governments, businesses, financial institutions, and international organisations all have a role to play. Success will depend on stronger cooperation, greater investment, better policies, and a shared commitment to ensuring that clean energy reaches every household, not just every power grid. The world has already shown that it can transform the way it produces energy. The greater challenge now is transforming the lives of the people who still remain without it.
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The global energy transition is one of humanity’s greatest achievements of the twenty-first century. Renewable energy is growing faster than ever before, innovation is reshaping electricity systems, and countries are increasingly recognising that clean energy is essential for economic prosperity, climate resilience, and national security. Yet the true measure of success will not be the number of wind turbines standing on distant hills or solar panels covering rooftops. It will be whether every child can study under electric light, every health clinic has reliable power, every family can cook without risking their health, and every community has the opportunity to build a better future. The race towards renewable energy is well underway. The challenge before the world is to ensure that no one is left standing at the starting line.
The author is a rail professional with practical experience in operating railway and metro systems. He also works as an Environmental, Health and Safety consultant, focusing on sustainable transport, climate change, public safety, and low-carbon infrastructure development.
