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Columnists: Agneta Persson, WSP Sweden
Published on: 7 Feb 2017
Energy Efficiency — Required for all Agenda 2030 Sustainable Development Goals
More efficient energy use is fundamental to future sustainable energy systems. It is also a prerequisite for coming to grips with many of the global challenges we face, like poverty, food security, equal access to water, healthcare and education, climate change and equitable economic growth. Within WSP we have analysed the impact that more efficient energy use has on our ability to, worldwide, achieve the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of Agenda 2030. Our conclusion is that energy efficiency facilitates fulfilment of all 17 goals.
When Agenda 2030 was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in September 2015, the countries of the world vowed to, over the next 15 years, eradicate extreme poverty, combat inequality and disparity, and take urgent action on climate change. The resulting agenda that was adopted comprises 17 global goals for sustainable development. The goals are integrated and indivisible. They also balance the three dimensions — economic, social and environmental — of sustainable development. The Agenda strives to adopt a holistic approach, implementing change at the system level together with local initiatives and improvements within each specific area.
Energy efficiency is linked to all 17 goals
Efficient energy use is a good example of the interdependent nature of the goals. Sustainable energy is addressed specifically in Goal 7, which is to “ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all” More efficient energy use is also directly or indirectly linked to the other 16 Sustainable Development Goals.
Access to, and use of, energy is unevenly distributed across the world and within different socio-economic groups. One of the greatest challenges is ensuring that everyone, in all parts of the world, has access to secure, safe, sustainable and efficient energy.
From a Swedish perspective, the Swedish Energy Agency has provided several examples of how Goal 7 is linked to the other SDGs.[1] They assert that “energy is directly or indirectly linked to all of the 17 SDGs” and that it “should be regarded as a necessary resource for achieving the other SDGs”. However, attention is also given to the fact that there could be adverse dependencies between energy supply and other SDGs, for example, between energy production and the conservation of natural resources and biodiversity. Energy issues are closely related to climate issues, since the energy sector is responsible for the largest portion of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions.
The Swedish Energy Agency highlights that necessary action is required in Sweden in order to achieve UN Sustainable Development Goal 13, Combat Climate Change. Such action includes the development of renewable energy and climate adaptation of cities. Renewable energy and energy efficiency are also fundamental to achieving UN Sustainable Development Goal 12, Ensure Sustainable Consumption and Production Patterns. For this, Sweden must lower its consumption-based carbon footprint. SDG 8, Economic Growth and Decent Work for All, requires a reduction in the energy intensity of economic growth. In Sweden, this means that basic industry must convert to 100 per cent renewable energy.
A system requirement for nearly half of the targets
WSP has conducted an initial qualitative analysis on how energy efficiency affects our ability to reach the SDGs at a global level. Our conclusion is that all of the 17 SDGs can be more easily achieved if energy use becomes more efficient. The analysis indicates that more efficient use of energy is a system requirement for achieving at least 65 of the 169 targets.[2] Energy use is explicitly mentioned in at least 26 of the targets and it is deemed as having an indirect link to at least 47 more of the targets.
Energy efficiency and lower energy use is a prerequisite for building sustainable cities and societies (SDG 11), combating climate change (SDG 13), achieving long-term sustainable economic growth (a component of SDG 8), and ensuring sustainable consumption and production patterns (SDG 12). There are many types of linkages and dependencies between the various targets. A couple of these aspects are discussed below.
Access to energy, as a fundamental social service or infrastructure, is highlighted in this statement by the UN: “that all men and women, in particular the poor and the vulnerable, have equal rights to economic resources, as well as access to basic services, ownership and control over land and other forms of property, inheritance, natural resources, appropriate new technology and financial services...” (target 1.4) and ensuring “access for all to adequate, safe and affordable housing and basic services...” (target 11.1).
Sustainable use of natural resources, including sustainable use of energy resources, is discussed in the UN Sustainable Development Goals, for example, in the context of sustainable consumption and “...the sustainable management and efficient use of natural resources” (target 12.2). And, in the context of sustainable production, to progressively “...improve global resource efficiency in consumption and production and endeavor to decouple economic growth from environmental degradation...” (target 8.4). It is also necessary to lower the impact of energy production and the use of energy resources, by substantially reducing “...the number of deaths and illnesses from hazardous chemicals and air, water and soil pollution and contamination.” (target 3.9) and by taking “...urgent and significant action to reduce the degradation of natural habitats, halt the loss of biodiversity and, by 2020, protect and prevent the extinction of threatened species.” (target 15.5). Social sustainability in the context of natural resource extraction, includes resource-related conflicts, which, to a great extent, impacts our ability to “significantly reduce all forms of violence and related death rates everywhere” (target 16.1), to reduce inequalities within and between countries, and also to “facilitate orderly, safe, regular and responsible migration and mobility of people,...” (target 10.7).
More efficient use of energy and thereby access to light, fuel for cooking, transport etc. is a prerequisite for greater prosperity and many forms of community service, e.g. to “...reduce the global maternal mortality ratio” (target 3.1) and “...ensure equal access for all women and men to affordable and quality technical, vocational and tertiary education...” (target 4.3) and to “end hunger and ensure access by all people, in particular the poor and people in vulnerable situations, including infants, to safe, nutritious and sufficient food all year round.” (target 2.1) and to “… provide access to safe, affordable, accessible and sustainable transport systems for all.” (target 11.2).
In the context of equality, there are strong links between access to energy efficiency and social structures, where women in many parts of the world spend much of their available time trying to obtain energy resources. Their safety also depends on the existence of well-lit roads and public places. In this context, there are strong links to target 4.5 to “eliminate gender disparities in education” and target 6.2 to “...achieve access to adequate and equitable sanitation and hygiene for all and end open defecation” and target 11.7 to “...provide universal access to safe, inclusive and accessible, green and public spaces...”.
Accordingly, energy efficiency is not only fundamental to future sustainable energy systems but also to achieving more sustainable development in all aspects of sustainability!
[1] Report on the task of state authorities to provide information related to Sweden’s efforts to implement Agenda 2030 (PDF)
[2] Only the links to the 125 goal-related targets were analyzed. Links to the other sub-categories were not analyzed.
