THEME REPORT ON ENERGY TRANSITION TOWARDS THE ACHIEVEMENT OF SDG 7 AND NET-ZERO EMISSIONS

Abstract

Over the next decade, every aspect of national energy systems will be affected by changes in climate and energy policy, and financing, continuous technological advancement, and shifts in energy supply and demand. The rapidly falling costs of renewable technologies have opened up previously unimagined possibilities across the globe. Ongoing developments in many countries offer a promising outlook for the security, inclusiveness, and sustainability inherent in a transformedenergy sector. However, the transition needs to speed up significantly and broaden its scope to achieve SDG 7 and align with the goals of the Paris Agreement on climate change, while at the same time achieving implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.The energy transition can thus no longer be limited to incremental steps. It must become a transformational effort, a system overhaul, based on the rapid upscaling and implementation of all available technologies to innovate for the future. This is the right moment to reassess long-standingassumptions, perceived barriers, and default decisions. The emerging energy system must promote resilient economies and societies for a more inclusive and equitable world. Ambitious and targeted actions are needed now and throughout the coming decades to ensure the goals of SDG7 are fulfilledand a decarbonized energy system achieved by 2050.