Global efforts to expand energy access have recently faced setbacks. In 2022, the number of people without electricity rose to 685million10million more than in 2021for the first time in over a decade. Why Is Global Energy Access Trends? Around 80% of those affected live in subSaharan Africa, where population growth is outpacing connections. Clean cooking access remains even further behind: approximately 2.12.3billion people still rely on polluting fuels, contributing to ~3.2 million premature deaths annually.