Goal 7: Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all
Affordable and Clean Energy focuses on making sure everyone, everywhere, has access to energy that is affordable (not too expensive), reliable (always there when you need it), and clean (good for the planet). This means lights for homes and schools, clean ways to cook food, and power for devices, all without harming the Earth.
Goal 7: Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all
Affordable and Clean Energy focuses on making sure everyone, everywhere, has access to energy that is affordable (not too expensive), reliable (always there when you need it), and clean (good for the planet). This means lights for homes and schools, clean ways to cook food, and power for devices, all without harming the Earth.
Introduction to Goal 7
A curriculum designed for Goal 7 that inspires the values and competencies behind this mission for grades 5-12.
Featured Lesson: Art
Art Exploration
Dive into Goal 7 through the lens of art. This lesson provides hands-on activities and creative exploration designed to bring the concepts to life for students.
Lessons
Art Exploration
Explore Goal 7: Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all through art.
Light Up Our World: Building Energy Art For Everyone
Explore Goal 7: Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all through art.
The Power of Words: Convincing for Clean Energy
Explore Goal 7: Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all through creative writing.
Energize the Beat: Freeze Dance for Clean Energy
Explore Goal 7: Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all through dance/movement.
Energy Spotlight: Forum Theater for Clean Power
Explore Goal 7: Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all through drama.
ART EXPLORATION
Explore Goal 7: Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all through art.
These learning objectives are organized into five categories that together form a comprehensive approach to understanding and engaging with this goal.
Knowledge
- •
Identify and define the importance of clean water and good sanitation for human health, the environment, and daily life.
(Cr1.1.MS, Cn10.1.MS) - •
Recognize that access to clean water and safe sanitation is not equal for everyone around the world, and understand that pollution and water scarcity are challenges.
(Cn10.1.MS, Cn11.1.MS) - •
Understand that protecting and conserving water are important responsibilities for everyone.
(Cn10.1.MS, Cn11.1.MS)
Discourse
- •
Explore and describe how feelings and messages about water and sanitation are expressed through various art forms (visual art, creative writing, dance, drama, music) by reflecting on visuals, words, movement, sounds, and stories.
(Re7.1.MS, Re8.1.MS) - •
Participate in respectful discussions about water-related challenges and how people and communities can work together to ensure clean water and sanitation for all.
(Re9.1.MS, Cn11.1.MS) - •
Communicate their own thoughts, feelings, and ideas about Global Goal 6: Clean Water and Sanitation through creative expression in various artistic mediums.
(Cr3.1.MS)
Attitudes
- •
Develop empathy and compassion for individuals and communities facing challenges with water and sanitation, fostering a deeper understanding of their daily struggles.
(Re8.1.MS, Cn10.1.MS) - •
Appreciate the fundamental value of clean water and the importance of good hygiene for a healthy life and a healthy planet.
(Cn11.1.MS) - •
Cultivate a sense of personal and collective responsibility for conserving water, preventing pollution, and advocating for clean water for everyone.
(Re9.1.MS)
Capacity
- •
Develop critical thinking skills by observing and discussing how different artistic elements (like colors, textures, rhythms, movements, descriptive words) can represent challenges and solutions related to water and sanitation.
(Re9.1.MS, Cn10.1.MS) - •
Practice collaboration and communication skills through engaging in group art projects, shared writing activities, and coordinated movement, drama, or musical performances to tell stories about water’s journey and impact.
(Cr2.1.MS, Pr5.1.MS) - •
Develop creative expression skills through purposeful experimentation with diverse artistic mediums (visual art, creative writing, dance, drama, music) to communicate their understandings and feelings about Clean Water and Sanitation.
(Cr3.1.MS)
Action
- •
Identify simple and age-appropriate actions they can take to conserve water, reduce pollution, and promote good hygiene in their daily lives, schools, and homes.
(Pr6.1.MS, Cn11.1.MS) - •
Participate in collaborative artistic projects that creatively express messages of hope and support for clean water and sanitation for all.
(Cr3.1.MS, Pr6.1.MS) - •
Reflect on their personal role in contributing to a world with clean water and sanitation for all, fostering a sense of personal global citizenship.
(Re9.1.MS, Cn11 .1.MS)
Empowering youth to become active agents of change in the pursuit of ensuring availability and sustainable management of affordable and clean energy for all. Recognizing that even small, consistent actions, sparked by their creative explorations, can contribute to a larger global impact.
Taking Action Beyond the Classroom
Here are ways your students can extend their learning and apply their understanding of Global Goal 7 in their wider community and beyond.
Become Energy Storytellers: Choose a favorite piece created in the lessons, and share with family, friends, or local community groups (like a library reading hour, a scout meeting, or a community center). This allows them to use their art to tell a powerful story about why affordable and clean energy matter for everyone.
Concrete Action: Aim to share their creative work related to energy with at least three people outside of school.
Energy Saving Detectives: Inspired by discussions on energy challenges and solutions, become Energy Saving Detectives at home. Look for ways to save energy (e.g., turning off the lights, unplugging chargers, taking shorter showers). Then create short, persuasive messages to convince family members to adopt one energy-saving habit.
Concrete Action: Students identify one energy-saving action at home and try to convince their family to implement it for a week.
Clean Energy Vision: Create a small drawing or collage that illustrates a clean energy solution for the community (e.g., solar panels on the roof, a community garden with solar lights, an electric school bus).
Concrete Action: Create a Clean Energy Vision artwork for home or neighborhood and share with family or the community.
Research a Clean Energy Champion: Research a real person (from history or today) who has made a significant positive impact on clean energy, energy access, or energy conservation, either locally or globally. Write a short paragraph, create a drawing, or prepare a brief presentation about this Clean Energy Champion, explaining how their actions connect to Global Goal 7. This helps to see real-world examples of impact and positive change.
Concrete Action: Research and present one Clean Energy Champion to share with family or the class.
Benchmarking Progress
A quick view of the official UN targets for this goal paired with the indicators that track global progress. Use these to connect classroom inquiry with real-world data.
Target 7.1
By 2030, ensure universal access to affordable, reliable and modern energy services.
Indicators
- 7.1.1
Proportion of population with access to electricity
- 7.1.2
Proportion of population with primary reliance on clean fuels and technology
Target 7.2
By 2030, increase substantially the share of renewable energy in the global energy mix.
Indicators
- 7.2.1
Renewable energy share in the total final energy consumption
Target 7.3
By 2030, double the global rate of improvement in energy efficiency.
Indicators
- 7.3.1
Energy intensity measured in terms of primary energy and GDP
Target 7.a
By 2030, enhance international cooperation to facilitate access to clean energy research and technology, including renewable energy, energy efficiency and advanced and cleaner fossil-fuel technology, and promote investment in energy infrastructure and clean energy technology.
Indicators
- 7.a.1
International financial flows to developing countries in support of clean energy research and development and renewable energy production, including in hybrid systems
Target 7.b
By 2030, expand infrastructure and upgrade technology for supplying modern and sustainable energy services for all in developing countries, in particular least developed countries, small island developing States, and land-locked developing countries, in accordance with their respective programmes of support.
Indicators
- 7.b.1
Installed renewable energy-generating capacity in developing and developed countries (in watts per capita)