SHINE: A call to action from faith and philanthropic leaders committed to scaling energy access investment

An emerging global campaign on energy access, Shine: Investing in Energy Access for All, was revealed at this month’s Sustainable Energy for All Forum - focusing on diversifying the sources of finance to support energy access.

The campaign will unite partners from the faith, development and philanthropic sectors to commit to mobilizing new forms of capital, scaling resources and generating momentum to achieve universal access to clean, affordable and reliable energy by 2030 and support Sustainable Development Goal 7.

As the campaign was revealed by partners at the Forum, it was also confirmed that World Council of Churches – which brings together churches, denominations and church fellowships in more than 110 countries and territories throughout the world, representing over 500 million Christians – committed to join the campaign.

Shine will now work to recruit more leading voices and organisations to join the campaign, with a goal that major commitments will be announced one year from now that all work towards and support the historic opportunity of ending energy poverty.

“Civil society must play its role in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals and implementing the Paris Agreement - ensuring that no one is left behind,” said Rachel Kyte, Chief Executive Officer of Sustainable Energy for All and Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL). “Holding to account all those who made commitments and working in partnership to speed the rate of change are twin roles for civil society. By uniting together, we can unlock new sources of financing and connect communities, local government and entrepreneurs to investors to close the energy access gap that supports better healthcare, education and economic growth to the people who need it the most.”

Nearly one sixth of the world’s population live without access to electricity, with a further 3 billion people who still rely on kerosene, wood, crop waste, dung, and other biomass to cook and heat their homes. 

Shine will scale investments in distributed clean energy solutions, while partnering with communities to realize powerful benefits for health, education and livelihoods that will support work towards ending energy poverty and unlocking new opportunities for billions of people.