Tracking SDG7: Access to Clean Fuels and Technologies for Cooking – Climate and Clean Air Coalition

Report on Progress Towards SDG 7: Universal Access to Clean Cooking

1. Global Status and Projections for SDG 7.1.2

The global effort to achieve universal access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy for all, as outlined in Sustainable Development Goal 7 (SDG 7), faces significant challenges, particularly in the domain of clean cooking. An analysis of current trends reveals a substantial gap between progress and the 2030 target.

• 2023 Global Status: An estimated 74% of the global population had primary access to clean cooking fuels and technologies. However, this leaves approximately 2.1 billion people reliant on polluting systems, directly impeding progress on SDG 7 and associated health and environmental goals (SDG 3, SDG 13).
• 2030 Projections: At the current rate of progress, the global access rate is projected to reach only 78% by 2030. This trajectory indicates a failure to meet the universal access target, with an estimated 1.8 billion people expected to be left behind.

2. Regional Disparities and their Impact on SDG Attainment

Progress towards SDG 7 is highly uneven across regions. While some areas show positive trends, Sub-Saharan Africa faces a deepening crisis that threatens to undermine global targets and exacerbate regional inequalities, a core concern of the SDG framework.

• Progressive Regions: Eastern, South-eastern, Central, and Southern Asia have demonstrated shrinking access deficits, largely driven by effective policy measures and economic growth.
• Regressive Trends in Sub-Saharan Africa: The number of people lacking access to clean cooking in Sub-Saharan Africa is increasing by 14 million annually. Gains in access are being nullified by rapid population growth, making the region the primary contributor to the projected 2030 global access deficit.
• Concentrated Deficits: Over 70% of the global population without clean cooking access resides in just 20 countries, many of which are in Sub-Saharan Africa and Southern Asia. These nations require urgent policy and financial interventions to align with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

3. The Urban-Rural Divide: A Barrier to Inclusive SDG Progress

The disparity in access between urban and rural populations remains a critical obstacle to achieving the inclusive vision of the SDGs. This divide is most pronounced in regions with the largest overall access gaps.

• Global Averages: Urban access to clean cooking stands at 89%, significantly higher than the 55% access rate in rural areas.
• Sub-Saharan Africa’s Stark Divide: The gap is exceptionally wide in Sub-Saharan Africa, where urban access (42%) is 35 percentage points higher than rural access (7%). This disparity significantly lowers global rural access averages and highlights a failure to “leave no one behind.”

4. Interlinkages with Other Sustainable Development Goals

The lack of clean cooking access is not solely an energy issue (SDG 7); it has profound and detrimental impacts on health, gender equality, poverty, and climate action, demonstrating the interconnected nature of the SDGs.

1. SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being) & SDG 13 (Climate Action): The continued reliance on polluting solid biomass (wood, dung) and the declining but present use of coal and kerosene contribute directly to household air pollution, a major cause of premature death and disease. Transitioning to clean fuels like LPG, natural gas, and electricity is essential for public health and mitigating climate change.
2. SDG 1 (No Poverty) & SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities): Access is strongly correlated with wealth. The inability of the poorest households to afford clean solutions perpetuates a cycle of poverty and widens inequalities, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa.
3. SDG 5 (Gender Equality): The burden of energy poverty falls disproportionately on women and girls. They are primarily responsible for collecting fuel and cooking, exposing them to health risks and consuming time that could be spent on education or economic activities, thereby hindering progress towards gender equality.

5. Policy Recommendations for Accelerating SDG 7

Achieving universal access to clean cooking by 2030 requires an immediate and significant escalation of coordinated action from all stakeholders. Policy must be designed to address the multifaceted nature of the challenge and maximize co-benefits across the SDG framework.

• Scale Up Investment: Governments and international partners must dramatically increase financial commitments to the clean cooking sector.
• Prioritize Vulnerable Populations: Policies must be targeted to support rural and low-income households to ensure a just and equitable energy transition.
• Integrate Clean Cooking into Development Agendas: Clean cooking must be a central component of national energy, health, climate, and gender equality strategies to leverage synergies and accelerate progress across multiple SDGs.

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

The article on tracking access to clean fuels and technologies for cooking addresses several interconnected Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The analysis reveals connections to the following goals:

• SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy

  This is the central theme of the article. The entire text is dedicated to tracking progress towards universal access to clean cooking solutions, which is a primary component of ensuring access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy for all.

• SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

  The article connects the lack of clean cooking facilities to negative health outcomes. It explicitly mentions that dependence on polluting fuels exposes users, particularly women and girls, to “household air pollution,” which is a major cause of respiratory illnesses and other health problems.

• SDG 5: Gender Equality

  The article highlights the gendered impact of energy poverty. It states that the lack of access “places a particularly heavy burden on women and girls, who spend hours collecting fuel and cooking,” which in turn limits their “educational and economic opportunities.” This directly relates to empowering women and girls.

• SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

  The analysis points to significant disparities in access to clean cooking. It details the “urban-rural divide,” where urban access is 89% versus 55% in rural areas. It also notes that the lack of access “affects the poor and vulnerable disproportionately,” highlighting inequalities based on wealth and geographic location.

• SDG 13: Climate Action

  The article implies a connection to climate action by mentioning the need for an energy transition that maximizes “climate benefits.” Traditional, polluting cooking methods using solid biomass contribute to emissions of black carbon and other short-lived climate pollutants, and transitioning to cleaner technologies helps mitigate climate change.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

Based on the issues discussed, the following specific SDG targets can be identified:

• Target 7.1: Ensure universal access to affordable, reliable and modern energy services

  The article is entirely focused on this target. It tracks the percentage of the global population with access to clean cooking fuels and technologies, projects the shortfall for the 2030 deadline, and analyzes the 2.1 billion people who still rely on polluting fuels.

• Target 3.9: Substantially reduce the number of deaths and illnesses from hazardous chemicals and air, water and soil pollution and contamination

  The article’s reference to “household air pollution” directly relates to this target. The use of polluting fuels like wood, dung, and coal for cooking is a primary source of indoor air pollution, which leads to a significant number of illnesses and premature deaths globally.

• Target 5.4: Recognize and value unpaid care and domestic work

  This target is addressed by the article’s statement that “women and girls… spend hours collecting fuel and cooking.” This time-consuming, unpaid domestic labor is a significant barrier to their participation in education, formal employment, and public life.

• Target 10.2: Empower and promote the social, economic and political inclusion of all, irrespective of age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion or economic or other status

  The article highlights the deep inequalities that prevent the inclusion of certain groups. The data showing that “Wealthier households consistently have greater access” and the stark “urban-rural divide” demonstrate that the poor and rural populations are being left behind, which this target aims to address.

• Target 13.2: Integrate climate change measures into national policies, strategies and planning

  The call for “policy and financing support to meet global goals” and the mention of maximizing “climate benefits” align with this target. Promoting clean cooking is a climate mitigation strategy that can be integrated into national energy and climate policies.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

The article provides explicit data and implies metrics that correspond to official SDG indicators:

• Indicator 7.1.2: Proportion of population with primary reliance on clean fuels and technology

  This is the most directly measured indicator in the article. The text provides precise figures for it, such as:

  • “In 2023, an estimated 74… percent of the global population relied primarily on clean cooking fuels and technologies.”
  • “At current rates, only 78… percent of the global population will have access to clean cooking by 2030.”
  • Global access rates are broken down by urban (89%) and rural (55%) areas.

• Indicator 3.9.1: Mortality rate attributed to household and ambient air pollution

  While the article does not provide mortality statistics, it directly implies the relevance of this indicator by highlighting the health risks of “household air pollution” from polluting cooking fuels. The problem described is what this indicator is designed to measure.

• Indicator 5.4.1: Proportion of time spent on unpaid domestic and care work, by sex, age and location

  The article implies this indicator by stating that the lack of clean cooking technology forces women and girls to “spend hours collecting fuel and cooking.” This directly refers to the time burden of unpaid domestic work, which this indicator measures to track progress on gender equality.

4. SDGs, Targets, and Indicators Analysis

Source: ccacoalition.org