Call for tailored financing to expand decentralised energy access
New global report urges stronger support to reach 666 million people still without electricity, mostly in rural and vulnerable communities. KARACHI: A new global report has called for urgent, tailored financial support to expand decentralised renewable energy in developing countries, warning that 666 million people — mostly in rural and vulnerable communities — still lack basic access to electricity. The Tracking SDG 7: The Energy Progress Report 2025 , released on June 25 by a consortium of international agencies, shows that while electricity access has grown to cover nearly 92% of the world’s population, the pace remains too slow to achieve universal access by 2030. Clean cooking access fares worse, with 2.1 billion people still relying on harmful fuels such as firewood, charcoal, and kerosene — contributing to serious health and environmental risks. The report highlights decentralised renewable energy — including mini-grids, solar home systems, and off-grid clean cooking tech...