GOAL 7 Affordable and Clean Energy
Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and clean energy for all
SDG 7 calls for ensuring universal access to modern energy services, improving energy efficiency and increasing the share of renewable energy. To accelerate the transition to an affordable, reliable, and sustainable energy system, countries need to facilitate access to clean energy research, promote investment in energy infrastructure and clean energy technology.
Enhanced international cooperation is also necessary for expanding infrastructure and upgrading technology for energy services in developing countries.
Monitoring SDG 7 in an EU context focuses on progress made in reducing its energy consumption, in securing sustainable energy supply and in improving access to affordable energy.
Education for Sustainable Development Goals
Suggestions for the development of specific sustainability competencies from the action-oriented, transformative educational and learning outcome-oriented guide Education for Sustainable Development Goals, UNESCO (2017)
Suggested learning objectives
Cognitive learning objectives
- The learner knows about different energy resources – renewable and non-renewable – and their respective advantages and disadvantages including environmental impacts, health issues, usage, safety and energy security, and their share in the energy mix at the local, national and global level.
- The learner knows what energy is primarily used for in different regions of the world.
- The learner understands the concept of energy efficiency and sufficiency and knows socio-technical strategies and policies to achieve efficiency and sufficiency.
- The learner understands how policies can influence the development of energy production, supply, demand and usage.
- The learner knows about harmful impacts of unsustainable energy production, understands how renewable energy technologies can help to drive sustainable development and understands the need for new and innovative technologies and especially technology transfer in collaborations between countries.
Socio-emotional learning objectives
- The learner is able to communicate the need for energy efficiency and sufficiency.
- The learner is able to assess and understand the need for affordable, reliable, sustainable and clean energy of other people/other countries or regions.
- The learner is able to cooperate and collaborate with others to transfer and adapt energy technologies to different contexts and to share energy best practices of their communities.
- The learner is able to clarify personal norms and values related to energy production and usage as well as to reflect and evaluate their own energy usage in terms of efficiency and sufficiency.
- The learner is able to develop a vision of a reliable, sustainable energy production, supply and usage in their country
Behavioral learning objectives
- The learner is able to apply and evaluate measures in order to increase energy efficiency and sufficiency in their personal sphere and to increase the share of renewable energy in their local energy mix.
- The learner is able to apply basic principles to determine the most appropriate renewable energy strategy in a given situation.
- The learner is able to analyse the impact and long-term effects of big energy projects (e.g. constructing an off-shore wind park) and energy related policies on different stakeholder groups (including nature).
- The learner is able to influence public policies related to energy production, supply and usage.
- The learner is able to compare and assess different business models and their suitability for different energy solutions and to influence energy suppliers to produce safe, reliable and sustainable energy.
Suggested topics
Different energy types, especially renewable energies like solar, wind, water, geothermal, tidal
Energy production, supply, demand and usage of different countries
Energy efficiency and sufficiency in energy usage Strategies: Centralized versus decentralized energy production; energy self-sufficiency, e.g. via local energy supply companies (LESCOs)
Political, economic and social dimensions of energy and linkages to power constellations, e.g. in mega energy projects like large scale solar farms or dam projects – potential conflict of interests (political and economic power (across borders), rights of especially indigenous people)
Environmental impacts and issues of energy production, supply and usage (e.g. climate change, grey energy)
The role of the public and private sectors in ensuring the development of low carbon energy solutions Peak of oil production and energy security – (over)dependence on non-renewable energies like oil
Bridging technologies and technology for a ‘cleaner’ use of fossil fuels
Gender issues related to energy production, supply and usage
Examples of learning approaches and methods
Experiment with renewable energy technologies
Reflect on and discuss own energy usage, e.g. ranking reasons for energy usage on a (subjective) dimension of “for fulfilling basic needs” (e.g. energy for cooking) to “for a luxury lifestyle” (e.g. energy for a swimming pool)
Organize excursions to energy sites including ethical discussions with pros and cons of energy types and projects
Conduct scenario analyses for future energy production, supply and usage
Conduct an energy saving campaign in one’s own institution or at the local level
Run a group project on how much energy is required to produce our daily needs, e.g. loaf of bread, cereal, etc.
Develop an enquiry-based project: “How are energy and human well-being linked?”
External Links
Department of Economic and Social Affairs, United Nations
Targets and Indicators of Goal 7