H.E. President of the General Assembly,
Distinguished SRSG for Sustainable Energy for All,
Excellencies,
Distinguished Delegates,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
It is my honour to address you as we gather here today to mark the completion of the UN Decade of Sustainable Energy for All and accelerate action on SDG 7.
international cooperation is needed now more than ever, as the world faces a climate crisis, raging conflicts, and a gloomy global economic outlook, especially for the global south.
The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development provides a beacon of hope - a guide for joint action towards a sustainable and thriving future for all.
A shift to clean and sustainable energy will drive the achievement of the 2030 Agenda and the objectives of the Paris Agreement on climate change.
We must guarantee broad access to clean and sustainable energy if we are to eradicate poverty and support prosperity. This access will ensure food and water security, health, education, decent work, and the empowerment of women.
Regrettably, SDG 7 is currently off-track.
By current projections, 660 million people will still lack access to electricity in 2030 and the transition to renewable energy in key sectors, like transport and heat, continues to lag.
However, there has been progress achieved over the past decade, which gives us hope.
Dear Colleagues,
In the past months, UN-Energy has organized extensive thematic, regional, and multi-stakeholder consultations to collect insights, perspectives, and suggestions from a diverse array of stakeholders, including Member States, civil society and experts.
The consultations are invaluable in shaping our understanding of the challenges and opportunities in achieving universal access to clean and affordable energy for all, and accelerating energy transitions that leave no one behind.
Several key messages stood out:
First, SDG 7 is still within reach.
Over the past decade, we have witnessed a remarkable surge in global electricity access, propelled by forward-looking policies, groundbreaking technological advancements, and unwavering investments.
The dramatic rise of modern renewable energy technologies across the world exemplifies this positive momentum.
The mounting political resolve for just, orderly and equitable energy transitions, as demonstrated at COP28, underscores our shared commitment to a net-zero future, while ensuring universal access to clean, affordable energy.
The High-level Dialogue on Energy in 2021 brought together commitment at the highest level, with over 130 heads of states and senior representatives.
The Secretary-General¡¯s Global Roadmap for Accelerated SDG7 Action presented ambitious milestones.
Energy Compacts have catalysed over 1 trillion dollars in commitments, accelerating transformative actions towards SDG7 and net zero across the world.
To achieve SDG7, we must dramatically step up our efforts.
We must urgently extend access to the over 600 million people still living without electricity.
Similarly, ensuring access to clean cooking solutions for over 2 billion people is imperative. Clean cooking is not only essential for health but also for promoting gender equality, protecting the environment, and mitigating climate change.
Furthermore, we must rapidly accelerate global action towards net-zero emission energy systems. This entails transitioning away from fossil fuels, tripling renewable energy capacity, and doubling the global average annual rate of energy efficiency improvements by 2030.
None of these efforts can succeed without a dramatic scale-up in finance and investment.
We must triple global investment in renewable energy and energy efficiency by 2030, with a focus on catalyzing both public and private finance, especially for developing countries.
Access to finance and technology transfer must be prioritized to ensure equitable progress.
It is crucial to ensure that no one is left behind in this transition.
Second, the global energy transition must be just, inclusive, and equitable, with a special focus on the most vulnerable countries and populations.
We must address the special requirements of LDCs, LLDCs, and SIDS, and bring hope to refugees, internally displaced persons, and those living in displacement settings.
Gender equality and women's empowerment must be prioritized throughout this process.
Women should be empowered in the design, production, and distribution of modern energy services, with equal representation in decision-making processes.
The consultations also highlighted the need for taking into account different national circumstances and priorities, leveraging a range of policies, technologies and means of implementation for advancing their efforts towards SDG7 and just energy transitions.
Third, as we conclude the UN Decade of Sustainable Energy for All this year, we must ensure continued follow-up by establishing enabling institutional arrangements at the global level.
This would include a global gathering on energy at the highest level, supported by expert-level meetings and discussions, to further strengthen political commitment and catalyze partnerships, investments, and action, including through Energy Compacts.
We also need to strengthen UN-Energy to further accelerate and scale up joint action and collaboration across the UN system and with partners.
Intergovernmental cooperation on energy is not optional; it is a must.
The consultations clearly underlined the need to strengthen international dialogue and cooperation, highlighting the central importance of the UN as the most inclusive global convener.
Looking ahead, we need to build on the significant achievements made during the Decade, including the establishment of SDG 7 itself.
The Decade brought the international community together in the most inclusive way, galvanizing momentum on sustainable energy.
We must build on this momentum.
In closing, I would like to express my gratitude to all those who participated in the consultations for their insightful contributions.
Your perspectives are crucial in shaping our collective agenda for sustainable energy.
Let us together take the next steps to accelerate our journey towards a clean, equitable and sustainable future for all.
Thank you.