SEforALL Forum ends with commitments to support faster progress towards closing the energy access gap

The Sustainable Energy for All Forum closed with partners from civil society, government, business, faith and UN agencies all uniting to ‘get the job done’ and ensure global energy goals are back on track to achieve our 2030 targets.

Announcements made on the final day focused around the energy access dividend – with new people centered accelerators and campaigns led by faith, philanthropic and development communities made throughout the day.

In a closing keynote to the event, the President of the 71 st General Assembly, H.E. Mr. Peter Thomson, stressed the importance of achieving Sustainable Development Goal 7. He said: "Achieving Sustainable Development Goal 7 on Affordable and Clean Energy will not only transform the global energy system, but will have a multiplier effect in helping to meet all other Sustainable Development Goals as well”.

In her closing remarks, Rachel Kyte, Chief Executive Officer of Sustainable Energy for All and Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL), said: “The latest evidence shows we're not on track to achieve universal access to affordable, reliable clean energy service by 2030.

We now need urgent action. At this SEforALL Forum, small businesses, big businesses, community leaders and investors to city leaders and ministers from around the world, all came together to learn how they can go further and faster by working together. Given the evidence, the price of technologies, the innovation among committed investors and the transformation of lives when access to energy is secured, we should be continually asking leaders why they are not acting now to secure sustainable energy for all."

A new emerging campaign, Shine: Investing in Energy for All, was also revealed at the Forum on the final day. The campaign will unite partners from the faith, development and philanthropic sectors to commit to mobilizing new forms of capital, scaling resources and generating momentum to achieve universal access to clean, affordable and

reliable energy by 2030 and support Sustainable Development Goal 7.

It was also confirmed that World Council of Churches – which brings together churches, denominations and church fellowships in more than 110 countries and territories throughout the world, representing over 500 million Christians – had committed to join the Shine campaign.

SEforALL partners also revealed plans for a new People-Centered Accelerator to Advance Gender Equality, Social Inclusion and Women’s Empowerment in the Sustainable Energy Sector. Through this accelerator, partners will work together to progress action towards these three goals, while working with leaders to promote an energy transition supports these people-centered aims and leaves no one behind. The accelerator is due to formally be launched later in the year.

On the side lines of the Forum, high level representatives from governments, private sector companies, and civil society called for intensified partnerships between sectors in order to accelerate progress towards decentralized renewable energy access - specifically for low income households in rural areas.

The new Renewables Global Futures Report: Great debates towards 100% renewable energy was released on Tuesday, April 4. The report documents global views about the feasibility of achieving a 100% renewable energy future by analysing the views of 114 renowned energy experts from every region of the world.

On the same day, Power for All’s new report showed the five important national energy policies needed to end electricity poverty and outline the steps governments can take to implement those policies, in particular the integration of decentralized renewable solutions into energy infrastructure planning and build-out.

The Poor People's Energy Outlook (PPEO) report from Practical Action was launched during the final day, and showed how reforming energy financing can radically hasten energy access. Results showed that poor families in developing countries are being denied access to basic technology and services by financial systems which fail to bring them modern energy.

Now in its third edition, the Forum welcomed over 1,500 delegates from 110 countries to Brooklyn, New York that week. Over 75 sessions and 10 announcements were held.

More information about the announcements made at this year’s Sustainable Energy for All Forum here.

Photo by IISD/ENB | Diego Noguera