BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 26
By Leman Zeynalova – Trend:
Everyone in the world could have access to clean, affordable energy within the next nine years if countries modestly increase investments, Trend reports with reference to the UN.
Annual investments of around $35 billion could bring electricity access for 759 million people who currently lack it, and $25 billion a year can help 2.6 billion people gain access to clean cooking between now and 2030. The required investment represents only a small fraction of the multi-trillion-dollar global energy investment needed overall, but would bring huge benefits to one-third of the world’s population. The recommendations on energy access are part of a proposed global roadmap with concrete actions to achieve clean, affordable energy for all by 2030 and net zero emissions by 2050, launched by the United Nations, to set the groundwork for a large-scale mobilization of commitments this year.
“The ambitious energy compacts being put forward by countries, businesses, cities, and many other partners are a spark of hope for achieving a just transition towards sustainable energy and for improving the lives of millions of people in the process,” said Liu Zhenmin, UN Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs. “But this is only the beginning and we need much more commitment and concrete action at this year’s High-level Dialogue on Energy to get where we need to be by 2030.” The proposed roadmap, which will inform the High-level Dialogue on Energy in September and be considered in the political statement resulting from the summit, is based on reports submitted by five Technical Working Groups that have brought together over 160 experts since March, co-led by 16 UN and international organizations, grouped by thematic focus. The five focus areas are: energy access; energy transition; enabling the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through inclusive, just energy transitions; innovation, technology and data; and finance and investment.
---
Follow the author on Twitter: @Lyaman_Zeyn