Global Clean Energy Push Targets 2.1 Billion Without Power

Millions of families who cook over smoky fires could breathe easier thanks to a coordinated global push happening right now.

Sustainable Energy for All, a UN-backed organization, launched a worldwide campaign on January 26 to tackle two massive gaps in the energy transition. More than 2.1 billion people still rely on polluting fuels like firewood and charcoal for cooking, exposing them to toxic household air pollution while accelerating deforestation and climate change. Meanwhile, millions across Sub-Saharan Africa live without reliable electricity, cutting off economic opportunities and essential services.

The good news? Both problems can be solved with technology that already exists and targeted investment.

To mark the fourth International Clean Energy Day, the organization coordinated events spanning Nigeria, Austria and online platforms. In Lagos, policymakers and business leaders gathered for hands-on demonstrations of clean cooking technologies available right now in Nigerian markets. The event highlighted health benefits, climate wins and economic opportunities from ditching polluting fuels.

In Vienna, ambassadors and youth leaders focused specifically on bringing clean cooking solutions to schools, where healthier environments can improve education outcomes for millions of children. A parallel livestream celebrated five years of the Universal Energy Facility, which has expanded electricity access across Sub-Saharan Africa by paying companies after they deliver verified results.

The campaign also announced fresh funding from the European Union and Danish Government to accelerate private investment in green mini-grids in Sierra Leone, with applications now open.

A digital activation called "24 Hours for Clean Energy" invited people worldwide to share their own commitments on social media, creating a global wave of visibility for affordable, reliable energy access.

The Ripple Effect

When families switch from smoky cooking fires to clean stoves, children miss fewer school days due to respiratory illness. When communities gain reliable electricity, health clinics can refrigerate vaccines and students can study after dark. These aren't distant dreams but proven outcomes from existing projects across Africa, showing how local solutions create benefits that reach far beyond one household or village.

The coordinated timing across continents sends a clear message: energy poverty isn't someone else's problem to solve later.