People can’t prosper without reliable, safe, and affordable energy to power everything from lights to vehicles to factories to hospitals. And yet, 840 million people worldwide have no access to electricity, and 2.9 billion people use solid fuels to cook or heat their homes, exposing their families to grave health hazards and contributing to vast deforestation worldwide³. In these and other ways, energy is connected to every one of the SDGs.

UNDP helps countries transition away from the use of finite fossil fuels and towards clean, renewable, affordable sources of energy. Our sustainable energy portfolio spans more than 110 countries, leveraging billions of dollars in financing, including public and private sources. With this financial support, we partner with cities and industries to increase the share of renewables in countries’ national energy mix; establish solar energy access to people displaced by conflict; fuel systemic change in the transport industry; and generate renewable ways to light homes for millions of people.

UNDP supports countries of the Arab States region to address the unprecedented challenges of climate change, increasing demand for energy and growing exposure to disaster risk. Due to the strong relationship between all three, we adopt an integrated approach to help countries protect their people’s lives and livelihoods from impacts of climate change and disasters, and mitigate drivers of climate change through more sustainable use of energy. We support Arab countries to manage risks to social vulnerability and build resilience of development results.