Document the scale and distribution of global energy poverty, assess health and economic consequences, and evaluate progress toward universal electricity access.

IEA energy access database covering 130 countries, disaggregated by income quintile, urban/rural split, and gender. Health impact assessment using WHO disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) framework. Economic productivity analysis using night-light satellite data as proxy for electrification effects on economic activity.

750 million people — predominantly in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia — lack access to electricity in 2025, despite decades of development commitments. 8 million premature deaths per year from household air pollution — more than malaria and HIV/AIDS combined.

Energy poverty is both a consequence and cause of broader poverty: without electricity, clinics cannot refrigerate vaccines, students cannot study after dark, and small businesses cannot operate machinery. Progress has stalled: at current rates, 660 million people will still lack electricity in 2030, missing SDG7 by a vast margin.

The economics of electrification have improved dramatically — solar mini-grid costs have fallen 90% since 2010 — but financing and last-mile infrastructure remain critical barriers.