Recent global crises, including the climate crisis, ongoing conflicts, and a constrained global economic outlook, have compounded the “fragility of past hard-earned progress” on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, including on SDG-7 on ensuring access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy for all. With only six years left to achieve the SDGs, there is still time to realize SDG7; however, efforts must be ramped up and accelerated as energy is critical for meeting the rest of the SDGS, as well as the goals of the Paris Agreement on climate change.

The ENERGYNOW SDG7 Action Forum 2024 aimed to support these efforts by providing a platform that will bring together and connect all stakeholders, including decision makers and practitioners, in support of “driving momentum and mobilizing action.” The third edition of the Forum showcased the Energy Compacts, which are voluntary, trackable commitments designed to incentivize action towards realizing SDG7 in line with net-zero goals. It will also: present success stories and best practices; strengthen multi-stakeholder dialogue to support accelerated action on SDG7; and explore concrete ways to accelerate a just, inclusive, and equitable energy transition towards net zero.

Convened at the margins of the UN General Assembly and the Summit of the Future, the Forum built on the Global Stocktaking, marking the completion of the UN Decade for Sustainable Energy for All (2014-2024), to further accelerate the implementation of SDG7.

The SDG7 Action Forum programme included almost 20 sessions focused on advancing progress on SDG7 and the global energy agenda towards 2030 and beyond. The High-Level opening will include the launch of the Energy Compact Progress Report 2024.

Day one focused on Energizing Sustainable Development and included sessions on:

• Implementing the UN-Energy Plan of Action in support of the 2030 Agenda and Net-zero Emissions;
• Integrating Distributed Renewable Energy Technologies for Sustainable Development in Rural and Remote Areas;
• Sustainable Energy and Water: Supporting Women’s Empowerment and Economic Development;
• Ensuring Energy-efficient and Climate-friendly Cooling for All; and
• The Many Facets of Energy Transition: From India to the World.

The second day’s sessions, addressing Creating Pathways for Investments, concentrated on:

• The Global Clean Cooking Roadmap;
• Scaling 24/7 Carbon-free Energy in the Global South;
• Advancing SDG7 in Central America and the Dominican Republic;
• Catalyzing Local Value Chain Development;
• Unlocking Investments in Affordable and Clean Energy;
• Challenges and Solutions to Unlock the Green Hydrogen Market;
• De-risking for Renewable Energy Investments; and
• Methane Data for Action.

The final day included sessions focused on Accelerating a Just and Inclusive Energy Transition. Participants discussed:

• Prioritizing Gender Indicators for a Just and Inclusive Energy Transition;
• Advancing Digitalization in Support of SDG7;
• Energy for Sustainable Agri-food Systems and Clean Cooking;
• Mainstreaming Gender and Youth for SDG7: Challenges and Opportunities for Young Women Entering the Energy Workforce; and
• Energy Partnerships for Universal Access.

The ENERGYNOW SDG7 Action Forum 2024 took place from 25-27 September 2024 in New York. It was organized by the UN-Energy Secretariat at the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN-DESA).

The Earth Negotiations Bulletin (ENB) writers who covered this event were Leila Mead and Kyle Wiebe. The Digital Editor was Diego Noguera. The Editor was Suzi Malan, Ph.D.