Energy

Energy is a central component of the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), explicitly reflected in SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy. However, the theme of energy cuts across multiple SDGs, demonstrating the interconnectivity of these global goals.

SDG 7's objective is to ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy for all. Energy, in its various forms, is a vital driver of economic growth and is pivotal to nearly all aspects of development. Without a steady and reliable supply of energy, societies can hardly progress. However, millions of people around the world still lack access to modern and clean energy services. The emphasis on "affordable and clean" energy within this goal shows the need to transition from traditional energy sources, often characterized by high environmental costs, to more sustainable ones like wind, solar, and hydropower.

Energy's role is also significant in achieving other SDGs. For example, SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure, emphasizes the need for sustainable and resilient infrastructure with increased resource-use efficiency and greater adoption of clean technologies. It is almost impossible to achieve this without a sustainable energy framework. Similarly, SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities, calls for making cities inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable, and one of its targets (11.6) directly refers to the environmental impact of cities, for which energy is a key factor.

Furthermore, energy is a crucial player in SDG 13: Climate Action. The energy sector represents the largest single source of global greenhouse gas emissions. Transitioning to a sustainable energy future, therefore, is critical for tackling climate change. Efforts to reduce emissions and promote clean energy sources are crucial to mitigate climate change and its impacts.

This chapter advances UN SDG goals 7 and 13 by discussing the impacts of electric vehicles on energy management in homes and residential microgrids and identifying ways to minimize the daily energy cost by optimal scheduling of resources, electric vehicles, and loads.
Climate change is driving the need for cool spaces, which currently relies largely on mechanical air conditioning that consumes power and contributes to emissions. This article examines how to create a passive cooling system with good ventilation using no mechanical equipment, achieving sub-ambient temperature cooling that could be extended to larger homes and structures. As such, it supports SDGs 3 (ensuring access to cool livable spaces), SDG 9 (more sustainable infrastructure to cool homes), and SDG 13 (reducing the need for traditional air conditioning).
This chapter advances UN SDG goal 7 and 13 by supporting clean, affordable energy for transition, focusing on affordability and impacts on energy transition and climate change.
The demand for solar energy as a clean way to power human lives is increasing, but solar panels are land-intensive and may compete for space with farms. In this article, the authors examine how agrivoltaics (combining farming and solar technologies) can provide synergistic benefits together rather than in isolation, showing positive benefits in climate mitigation, climate resilience, and land equivalent ratios. This contributes to SDGs 2 (ensuring the promotion of sustainable agriculture), 7 (harnessing sunlight to power society), and 13 (agrivoltaics as a way to combat climate change).
This chapter advances UN SDG goal 12 and 13 by providing an overview and introduction to NETs
This chapter advances UN SDG goals 12 and 13 by providing a historical perspective of the warming effect of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, describes our growing understanding of climate change, the parallel development of Earth-system modeling capabilities, the Paris Agreement and the need to transition to nonfossil energy and the decarbonization of the global economy
Solar panels in a field
Recognising our customers' exceptional work to achieve the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals
This Article supports SDGs 9 and 13 by looking at how carbon emissions can be mitigated by way of public procurement with environmental conditions
To mark the 50th Anniversary of World Environment Day on 5 June 2023, Elsevier proudly presents a curated list of publicly available journal articles and book chapters in support of this year's theme “Solutions to Plastics Pollution”. Please share and download.
This chapter advances UN SDG goals 7 and 13 by providing an overview of the current prospects and challenges involved in scaling low-carbon H2 production in Europe.

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