The World Bank, at the weekend, said an estimated eight per cent of global population will not have access to electricity in 2030 under current policies. It stressed that 90 per cent of the population will be in sub-Saharan Africa.
In its latest report titled: Tracking SDG7: The Energy Progress Report 2019, it said global electrification rate reached 89 per cent; the number of people without electricity access dropped to around 840 million, compared to one billion in 2016 and 1.2 billion in 2010.
Stronger political commitment, long-term energy planning, increased private financing and adequate policy and fiscal incentives will be crucial to achieve universal access.
The report showed that despite the progress, reaching the remaining unserved people, including those connected to frail and overburdened urban grids, as well as displaced people, and hard-to-reach locations, will be challenging. An estimated 650 million people will be left without electricity access in 2030.
The report tracked global, regional and country progress on the three targets of sustainable development goal (SDG)7: access to energy and clean cooking, renewable energy and energy efficiency. It identified priorities for action and best practices that have proven successful in helping policymakers and development partners understand what is needed to overcome challenges.
