There is mixed progress on SDG 7 in Asia and the Pacific. Significant progress has been made in increasing access to electricity, with near universal access achieved in 2023. However, progress has been slow in improving access to clean cooking fuels and technologies. The share of renewables, including dispatchable renewables such as hydropower, geothermal, and concentrated solar power plants with thermal storage in the energy mix has not grown substantially. This is despite an increasing installed capacity of renewable energy systems being introduced every year and against a backdrop of increasing energy demand growth. Although energy efficiency has improved steadily over the past decade, the annual improvement rate remains far below the rate of four per cent needed to reach target 7.3. Expanding renewable energy must be prioritized to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and address climate change in the context of a broader just and inclusive energy transition. Limited budget capacity is constraining clean-energy expansion, particularly in least developed countries (LDCs) and small island developing States (SIDS).
To achieve SDG 7, the region must enable clean energy investment through clear targets, supportive regulation, and scaled-up finance, accelerate energy efficiency and electrification, and modernize infrastructure for resilience and flexibility. This must be supplemented by a just, inclusive transition and the scaling of emerging technologies through pilots and research and development (R&D).