Facts and figures: Renewable energies

This section of UNCTAD’s Commodities at a Glance on energy, describes world renewable energies, production and consumption trends, with a particular focus on Africa. As energy use, primarily sourced from fossil fuels accounts for 66 per cent of total greenhouse gas emissions, a major challenge for developing countries will be that of transiting towards more sustainable and secure energy sources while maintaining and expanding access to affordable energy for industrial and household use. Two-thirds of developing country parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change have reported energy supply measures as key priorities for investment and financial flows, notably switching from fossil fuels to renewable energy. Energy remains a critical link between development and climate change mitigation as global access to energy services remains as unequally distributed as income. It is estimated that four out of five people without electricity live in rural areas in developing countries, mainly in South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa.

Sustainable Development Goals:

Climate Action