Building on the momentum from the 2021 High-level Dialogue on Energy, the UN took a major step to catalyse the large-scale action and support needed for the transition to clean, affordable energy for all and net-zero emissions by launching two major initiatives on 4 May 2022 that aim to deliver on the commitments outlined in the Global Roadmap for Accelerated SDG 7 Action.

“On 24 September 2021, more than 130 global leaders, including Heads of State and Government, Ministers, executive heads of UN entities and international organizations, CEOs and other multi-stakeholder representatives, joined the High-level Dialogue on Energy, announcing ambitious targets, transformational actions and bold investments towards achieving universal energy access and net-zero emissions.

One of the main outcomes of the Dialogue was the first-ever global roadmap for accelerated SDG 7 action which presents a clear strategy for the achievement of universal energy access and energy transition by 2030, including a set of concrete and practical milestones.”

The first meeting of the High-Level Coalition on Health and Energy, convened by the WHO Director-General. The meeting provided the opportunity to kick-off high-level cooperation to identify concrete steps to promote clean cooking and electrification of healthcare facilities and to promote the role better energy access plays in achieving universal health coverage. At the meeting, over 20 leaders, including ministers of health and energy, heads of international organizations and senior representatives from civil society institutions endorsed a Strategic Roadmap on Health and Energy.

Hosted by the Group of Friends of Sustainable Energy, this joint launch event of the SDG7 Tracking Report and the SDG7 Policy Briefs was intended to inform the discussions in support of the High-level Political Forum in July, the High-level Dialogue on Energy in September, the Decade of Action to deliver the SDGs, and the implementation of the UN Decade of Sustainable Energy for All 2014-2024.

The virtual launch marked the start of the substantive preparatory process for the High-level Dialogue on Energy 2021.

The first meeting of the Technical Working Group on Innovation, Technology, and Data discussed ways to radically change the energy system to reach net zero emissions by 2050 while leaving no one behind. The group grappled with diverging views on the future role of fossil fuels and emphasized the need to inclusively build skills not only for technical work but also for leadership roles.