IDRC at the 2025 Sustainable Energy for All Global Forum
Access to affordable and sustainable energy is crucial for individuals to lead dignified and productive lives. Energy is needed for essential tasks such as food storage and preparation, powering appliances that simplify daily activities, accessing information, earning a living and connecting with others. Without access to energy, the opportunity for a better life remains out of reach.
Globally, access to affordable and sustainable energy has been improving, but in 2022, 685 million people still lived without electricity, and 2.1 billion relied on polluting fuels and technologies like charcoal, kerosene and wood for cooking.
As the world transitions to clean energy, it is important to gather evidence on how this shift can achieve scale and benefit all communities, including women, youth and other marginalized groups. Understanding how to scale innovations, secure financing and develop business models for both institutional and private investors can help drive sustainable energy transitions in low-income countries.
The 2025 Sustainable Energy for All Global Forum, of which IDRC is a sponsor, will explore strategies to drive clean energy transitions and empower marginalized communities, with a focus on women’s leadership. It will connect leaders from different regions, highlighting the significance of women's full and equal participation in shaping sustainable energy solutions and achieving Sustainable Development Goal 7 on affordable and clean energy.
Research partners from IDRC's CAD18.4-million Clean Energy for Development: A Call to Action (CEDCA) initiative will facilitate evidence-based discussions at the forum. IDRC partner Intellecap and those involved in CEDCA — including the Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency of the Economic Community of West African States, the Economic Research Forum and Fundación Bariloche — along with IDRC staff will share insights and emerging impacts from their projects, emphasizing the importance of collaborative efforts to achieve sustainable energy solutions that drive a low-carbon transition.
On March 13, a high-level panel discussion entitled Empowering Women in Leadership: Innovations, Finance and Inclusive Transitions in Clean Energy will feature prominent women leaders, policy experts, corporate executives and private sector representatives. The session will focus on building stronger partnerships and networks to support women’s participation and advancement, covering key topics such as leadership in energy transitions, the interplay of gender and finance, mentorship and the need for inclusive solutions to overcome the structural and normative barriers that women face.
A full program is available here.