# data[].attributes.headline
Understanding SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy

# data[].attributes.subject
Understanding SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy

# data[].attributes.body
SDG 7 aims to ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy for all. Its importance lies in its power to improve lives, economies, and the environment. Explore the pivotal role of clean energy in sustainable development and how it intersects with economic growth.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Access to electricity and clean cooking fuels has improved in many parts of the world, but 675 million people are yet to be connected to the grids and 2.3 billion are still cooking with unsafe and polluting fuels. The war in Ukraine and global economic uncertainty continue to cause significant volatility in energy prices, leading some countries to raise investments in renewables and others to increase reliance on coal, putting the green transition at risk. If the current pace continues, about 660 million people will still lack access to electricity and close to 2 billion people will continue to rely on polluting fuels and technologies for cooking by 2030. To ensure access to energy for all by 2030, we must accelerate electrification, increase investments in renewable energy sources and invest in improving electricity grids.

* Target 7.1: The global population with access to electricity has increased from 87% in 2015 to 91% in 2021. The pace of electrification has rebounded between 2019 and 2021. However, the annual access growth of 0.6 percentage points in the recent period is lower than the 0.8 percentage points in 2015-19. As a result, 675 million people, majorly located in LDCs and sub-Saharan Africa, still lacked access in 2021.
* Target 7.1: In 2021, 71% of the global population had access to clean cooking fuels and technologies, up from 64% in 2015. In seven (all located in sub-Saharan Africa) of the 20 countries with the largest deficits, fewer than 10% of the population had access to clean fuels and technologies. The growing access deficit in sub-Saharan Africa, if not reversed, could dampen or undermine increasing trends in global access.
* Target 7.2: The share of renewable sources in total final energy consumption amounted to 19.1% globally in 2020, or 2.4 percentage points higher than in 2015. Part of this progression is due to lower final energy demand in 2020, as the pandemic disrupted social and economic activities worldwide. The electricity sector shows the largest share of renewables in total final energy consumption (28.2% in 2020) and has driven most of the growth in renewable energy use, while the heat and transport sectors have seen limited progress over the past decade.
* Target 7.3: The rate of improvement in primary energy intensity, which had already slowed in recent years, dropped to 0.6% in 2020. This makes it the worst year for energy intensity improvement since the global financial crisis. Annual improvement through 2030 must now average 3.4% to meet the target of SDG 7.3. This slowdown was influenced by a shift in the economic structure during Covid towards more energy-intensive industrial production, combined with only modest rates of technical efficiency improvements, in the context of low energy prices.
* Target 7.a: International public financial flows in support of clean energy in developing countries have a decreasing trend that started before the COVID-19 pandemic and continued through 2021. In 2021, they amounted to $10.8 billion- an 11% drop from 2020. This was 35% less than the 2010-19 decade-long average, and less than half the 2017 peak of $26.4 billion.
* Target 7.b: In 2021, there was a record-breaking installation of 268 Watts per capita of renewable capacity in developing countries, representing a year-on-year growth rate of 9.8%. However, even with this positive and accelerating growth, developing countries are not on track to meet SDG7 by 2030. Moreover, the positive global and regional trends hide the fact that the countries that are most in need of support are being left behind, even among developing countries.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Goal 7 | Department of Economic and Social Affairs

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all

# data[].attributes.body
Discover the economic benefits and challenges of transitioning to renewable energy sources. This article examines the job creation potential, cost savings, and environmental impact of renewables, offering a comprehensive overview for educators and students alike.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
"Energy market developments in recent months - especially in Europe - have proven once again the essential role of renewables in improving energy security, in addition to their well-established effectiveness at reducing emissions."

The current global energy crisis has added new urgency to accelerate clean energy transitions and, once again, highlighted the key role of renewable energy. For renewable electricity, pre-crisis policies lead to faster growth in our updated forecast. Notably, wind and solar PV have the potential to reduce the European Union's power sector dependence on Russia's natural gas by 2023.

At the same time, it is too early to assess the potential impact on our 2022 and 2023 forecast of newly announced targets following the Russian invasion of Ukraine, in the absence of rapid policy implementation.

Annual renewable capacity additions broke a new record in 2021, increasing 6% to almost 295 GW, despite the continuation of pandemic-driven supply chain challenges, construction delays and record-level commodity prices for raw materials.

Solar PV and wind costs are expected to remain higher in 2022 and 2023 than pre-pandemic levels due to elevated commodity and freight prices. However, their competitiveness actually improves, due to much sharper increases in natural gas and coal prices.

Renewable capacity is expected to further increase over 8% in 2022, reaching almost 320 GW. However, unless new policies are implemented rapidly, growth remains stable in 2023 because solar PV expansion cannot fully compensate for lower hydropower and steady year-on-year wind additions.

Globally, forecast additions for 2022 and 2023 have been revised upwards by 8% from December last year, thanks to strong policy support in the People's Republic of China (hereafter, "China"), the European Union and Latin America, and despite downward forecast revisions in the United States.

Biofuel demand recovered in 2021 from Covid-19 lows, to near 2019 levels, and we expect growth to expand year-on-year by 5% in 2022 and by 3% in 2023. On the other hand, increasing feedstock prices and policy reaction from multiple countries slows growth in the short term, leading to a 20% downward revision of our previous biofuel demand growth forecast. Russia's invasion of Ukraine is also putting upward pressure on an already high-price environment for biofuel feedstocks, in particular vegetable oils.

While looming market uncertainties increase challenges, the new focus on energy security - especially in the European Union - is also triggering an unprecedented policy momentum towards accelerating energy efficiency and renewables. Ultimately, the forecast of renewable markets for 2023 and beyond will depend on whether new and stronger policies will be introduced and implemented in the next six months.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Renewable Energy Market Update - May 2022 - Analysis - IEA

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The current global energy crisis has added new urgency to accelerate clean energy transitions and, once again, highlighted the key role of renewable energy. For renewable electricity, pre-crisis policies lead to faster growth in our updated forecast. Notably, wind and solar PV have the potential to reduce the European Union's power sector dependence on Russia's natural gas by 2023.

# data[].attributes.body
SDG 8 promotes sustained, inclusive, and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment, and decent work for all. Learn how this goal contributes to eradicating poverty and ensuring prosperity, highlighting the significance of economic inclusivity.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Progress towards achieving SDG8 has been challenging and the world is far from reaching most of the targets. The lingering effects of COVID-19, cost-of-living crises, trade tensions, uncertain monetary policy paths, rising debts in developing countries, and the war in Ukraine can each significantly set back global economic growth. Combined, these crises are placing the global economy under a serious threat. Global real GDP per capita is forecast to slow down in 2023, putting at risk not just employment and income but also advances in equitable pay for women and decent work for young people. Achieving SDG8 will require a wholesale reform of our morally bankrupt financial system in order to tackle rising debts, economic uncertainties and trade tensions, while promoting equitable pay and decent work for young people.

* Target 8.1: Following a sharp decline of 4.1% in 2020, global real GDP per capita increased by 5.0% in 2021. However, growth in global real GDP per capita is forecast to slow down to 2.1% in 2022 and further to 1.0% in 2023, before recovering somewhat to a growth rate of 1.8% in 2024. The growth in real GDP of LDCs slowed down from 5% in 2019 to just 0.2% in 2020 before recovering to 2.6% in 2021. It is expected that the growth in real GDP of LDCs would strengthen to 4.3% in 2022 and to 4.4% and 5.4% in 2023 and 2024, respectively.
* Target 8.2: After a sharp decline in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, labour productivity rebounded in 2021 by 2.4%. Productivity growth slowed in 2022, increasing by only 0.5%. However, even before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, productivity growth had been slowing around the world. The latest estimates extend the downward growth trend, from an average annual rate of 1.8% between 2000-14 to 1.4% between 2015-22.
* Target 8.3: Globally, 58.0% of those employed were in informal employment in 2022, amounting to around 2 billion workers in precarious jobs, most lacking any form of social protection. Prior to the onset of the pandemic, the incidence of informal employment had been slowly declining and stood at 57.8% in 2019. The pandemic resulted in a disproportionate job loss for informal workers, particularly for women, in 2020. The subsequent recovery from COVID-19 has been driven by informal employment, which has caused a slight increase in the incidence of informality.
* Target 8.5: Equal treatment in employment, including fair and equitable earnings, is fundamental for achieving decent work for all. The median gender pay gap across 102 countries is approximately 14%. However, this calculation is only based on average hourly earnings, thus not controlling for characteristics such as the sector or occupation, educational level or amount of work experience.
* Target 8.5: The global unemployment rate declined significantly in 2022, falling to 5.8% from a peak of 6.9% in 2020 as economies began recovering from the shock of the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite an uncertain global economic outlook, unemployment is projected to increase only moderately, as a large part of the shock is being absorbed by falling real wages in an environment of accelerating inflation. Global unemployment is projected to edge up slightly in 2023, by around 3 million, to reach 208 million, corresponding to an unemployment rate of 5.8%.
* Target 8.6: Globally, nearly one in four (23.5%) young people were not in education, employment, or training (NEET) in 2022. Although this is a slight decrease since 2020, when the NEET rate was at an all-time high, it remains above the 2015 baseline of 22.2% and a long way from the 2030 target.
* Target 8.7: The latest estimates indicate that the number of children in child labour rose to 160 million worldwide at the beginning of 2020 - an increase of 8.4 million children in the last four years. This translates to almost 1 in 10 of all children in child labour worldwide.
* Target 8.9: The share of tourism in global GDP nearly halved in 2020 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The 2021 data shows a very modest 6% upturn, indicating that tourism's economic contribution is on the path to recovery.
* Target 8.10: Accelerated adoption of digital solutions is transforming access to finance. Globally, in 2021, 76% of adults had an account at a bank or regulated institution such as a credit union, microfinance institution, or a mobile money service provider, an increase from 62% in 2014.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Goal 8 | Department of Economic and Social Affairs

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all

# data[].attributes.headline
The Link Between Inclusive Growth and Sustainability

# data[].attributes.subject
The Link Between Inclusive Growth and Sustainability

# data[].attributes.body
Explore how inclusive growth strategies can drive sustainable development. This article delves into the importance of creating job opportunities for all, ensuring equal access to resources, and fostering an economy that benefits everyone.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
The World Bank Group brings together knowledge and expertise across all major sectors of development. Our goal is to help developing countries find solutions to the toughest global and local development challenges-from adapting to climate change to boosting food security or fighting corruption. Browse by development topics listed below or learn more about how we're organized to address these development challenges.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The World Bank Group brings together knowledge and expertise across all major sectors of development. Our goal is to help developing countries find solutions to the toughest global and local development challenges-from adapting to climate change to boosting food security or fighting corruption.

# data[].attributes.headline
SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure

# data[].attributes.subject
SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure

# data[].attributes.body
SDG 9 focuses on building resilient infrastructure, promoting inclusive and sustainable industrialization, and fostering innovation. Understand the crucial role of industry and innovation in achieving sustainable development goals, with a particular emphasis on economic sustainability.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Goal 9 | Department of Economic and Social Affairs

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation

# data[].attributes.headline
The Impact of Sustainable Industry on Global Economy

# data[].attributes.subject
The Impact of Sustainable Industry on Global Economy

# data[].attributes.body
Examine the economic implications of sustainable industrial practices. This article covers how sustainable industry and innovation contribute to economic development, job creation, and environmental protection, providing insights for stakeholders at all levels.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
UNIDO | United Nations Industrial Development Organization

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
UNIDO, is a specialized agency in the United Nations system, headquartered in Vienna. The Organization's objective is the promotion and acceleration of industrial development in developing countries and countries with economies in transition and the promotion of international industrial cooperation.

# data[].attributes.headline
SDG 12: Ensuring Sustainable Consumption and Production

# data[].attributes.subject
SDG 12: Ensuring Sustainable Consumption and Production

# data[].attributes.body
SDG 12 aims at doing more and better with less, ensuring that consumption and production patterns are sustainable. Discover the economic perspective of responsible consumption and production, and its potential to drive sustainable development.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Goal 12 | Department of Economic and Social Affairs

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns

# data[].attributes.body
Explore how we will help countries with less money make the switch to clean, green, energy.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The World Bank framework “Scaling Up to Phase Down” maps out steps to support developing countries, with the help of development partners, to scale up affordable, secure, and reliable clean energy and phase down coal-fired electricity generation.

# data[].attributes.headline
Can 100% Renewable Energy Power The World?

# data[].attributes.subject
Can 100% Renewable Energy Power The World?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Can 100% renewable energy power the world? - Federico Rosei and Renzo Rosei

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
SDGs and I Animated series- Decent Work and Economic Growth

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.authors[].name
American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
What is the tragedy of the commons? - Nicholas Amendolare

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
About this film

From its extraction through sale, use and disposal, all the stuff in our lives affects communities at home and abroad, yet most of this is hidden from view. The Story of Stuff is a 20-minute, fast-paced, fact-filled look at the underside of our production and consumption patterns. The Story of Stuff exposes the connections between a huge number of environmental and social issues, and calls us together to create a more sustainable and just world. It'll teach you something, it'll make you laugh, and it just may change the way you look at all the stuff in your life forever.

Share

Movie Resources

Credits

The Story of Stuff was written by Annie Leonard, Louis Fox, and Jonah Sachs, directed by Louis Fox and produced by Free Range Studios. Executive Producers included Tides Foundation and the Funders Workgroup for Sustainable Production and Consumption. It was released in December 2007.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
About this film From its extraction through sale, use and disposal, all the stuff in our lives affects communities at home and abroad, yet most of this is hidden from view. The Story of Stuff is a 20-minute, fast-paced, fact-filled look at the underside of our production and consumption patterns.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Imagine a chicken. Picture her downy white feathers and small, intense eyes. Maybe she's sitting on a nest, softly clucking. Perhaps she's scratching in the dirt, a quaint red barn in silhouette behind her. Cows graze contentedly nearby; a pig snuffles in the mud.

It's an idyllic vision, familiar from children's books and songs. It's also, for the majority of animals raised in the meat, egg and dairy industries, a complete fiction.

In the United States, almost all farm animals spend their lives inside factory farms, large-scale operations that turn lives into commodities by "processing" huge numbers of animals as quickly as possible. They're bad for animals, bad for us and bad for the planet we share. Here's why.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Imagine a chicken. Picture her downy white feathers and small, intense eyes. Maybe she's sitting on a nest, softly clucking. Perhaps she's scratching in the dirt, a quaint red barn in silhouette behind her. Cows graze contentedly nearby; a pig snuffles in the mud. It's an idyllic vision, familiar from children's books and songs.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
11 Facts About Animals and Factory Farms

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
2 out of every 3 farm animals in the world are now factory farmed.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
What are some of your favorite things to do? Play outside in the sunshine? Explore? Talk to your friends or maybe snuggle with your mom while she sings to you? If you said yes to any of these, you may have more in common with pigs than you thought!

Despite what people may think, pigs are clean, smart, fun-loving animals who form close bonds with their friends and family. They're known to stick up for each other when one is in trouble. Pigs are sensitive beings-they're just like dogs, cats, and humans in all the ways that matter.

Pigs Suffer When They're Used for Food

Every year, millions of pigs are raised and killed for food. Those on factory farms are deprived of everything they care about, like sunshine, affection, space, and yummy snacks. Instead, they're treated horribly for their entire lives.

A mother pig is very affectionate and enjoys cuddling and bonding with her babies. She even softly grunts little lullabies to the piglets as they nurse. But on factory farms, mother pigs are locked in metal cages-called "farrowing crates"-which are so small that they can't even turn around or cuddle with their babies. They're forced to live in these crates all the time, with no breaks to stretch or do anything else.

Farmers Are Really Mean to Piglets, Too

When piglets are just a few days old, workers cut off their tails and testicles and clip their teeth-all without painkillers. When they're around 3 weeks old, they're taken away from their mothers for good and forced to live without her in a crowded pen. The mother pigs are forced to have more babies, and the cruel cycle continues.

As Long As Humans Eat Bacon, Pigs Will Continue to Be Killed

PETA undercover investigations have filmed workers stomping, kicking, yelling at, and beating pigs with sticks. Pigs are still just babies-only about 6 months old-when they're crammed into a truck with lots of other pigs and driven to a slaughterhouse. Sometimes it's really cold or really hot out, but the animals don't get heating or air conditioning-they don't even get any food or water on the drive, which sometimes lasts for days. When they get to the slaughterhouse, they're really scared, and they don't make it out alive.

Here's What You Can Do to Help Pigs!

All this suffering is completely unnecessary. You can help pigs by not eating them! There are lots of yummy vegan foods at grocery stores, so why not ask your parents to skip the meat aisle and pick up some vegan bacon, hot dogs, or deli slices?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
What Happens to Pigs Used for Food Will Surprise You | PETA Kids

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Are pigs smart? Do they suffer when humans eat bacon and pork? Read what happens to pigs used for food to learn about them.

# data[].attributes.headline
Factory Farming = Not Environmentally Sustainable

# data[].attributes.subject
Factory Farming = Not Environmentally Sustainable

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Climate change

Factory farming intensifies climate change, releasing vast volumes of greenhouse gases.

We now know that man-made climate change is real and that it poses a great threat to the planet and its inhabitants. Current data suggest that we need to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions in developed countries by at least 80% by 2050 in order to have a chance of staying below an average temperature rise of over 2ºC . Factory farming is a major contributor to the climate change challenge, releasing vast volumes of greenhouse gases.

A wide variety of sources of carbon dioxide

Factory farming produces greenhouse gases throughout the 'supply chain'. For example, forest clearance to grow the crops and rear the animals reduces vital carbon 'sinks' and releases gases previously stored in the soil and vegetation.

An energy-hungry industry

Factory farming also requires large amounts of energy in order to function. This isn't just to rear the animals, but also to grow the vast amounts of feed they need. According to a study published by The Royal Society , feed is the dominant energy user, taking around 75% of the total energy required. The rest is needed for factors such as heating, lighting and ventilation.

But carbon dioxide isn't the only issue

It's not just carbon dioxide that's the problem: gases including methane and nitrous oxide, also produced in significant quantities, are released through various sources including animal waste and fertiliser use. Livestock farming produces 37% and 65% of our global methane and nitrous oxide emissions respectively . Both gases are much more potent than carbon dioxide.

Climate change will make farming harder

But don't just take our word for it

Factory-farmed beef requires twice as much fossil fuel energy input as pasture-reared beef.

LIVESTOCK FARMING ACCOUNTS FOR AROUND 14.5% OF OUR GLOBAL GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS.

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) (2013)

Added heat stress, shifting monsoons, and drier soils may reduce yields by as much as a third in the tropics and subtropics, where crops are already near their maximum heat tolerance.

United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) (2001)

So what?

Factory farming intensifies climate change. By taking action against factory farming, we are not just creating a food and farming revolution; we are also tackling one of the world's greatest sustainability challenges.

Biodiversity loss

Factory farming endangers the natural world, threatening the survival of many animals and plants.

Toxic outputs

Factory farming can create a range of pollution problems, fragmenting and even destroying natural habitats. This can drive out or even kill the animals and plants that inhabit them. The range of wastes from factory farms can be particularly problematic, leaking into water courses and, in the worst cases, leaving vast "dead zones", where few species can survive. Some of the nitrogen will also become gaseous, turning into ammonia, for instance, which creates problems such as water acidification and ozone layer depletion.

The rush for land

The deliberate destruction of natural habitats is also a significant driver of biodiversity loss. Because the farm animals need to eat so much, we need a lot of land to grow the feed. In fact, around one third of the world's crop lands are already given over to growing animal feed . Unfortunately, because space for crops is already at a premium, we are seeing a push for land in parts of Latin America and sub-Saharan Africa, including environmentally valuable grasslands and forests. Between 1980 and 2000, an area over 25 times the size of the UK was created in the developing world for new farmland - over 10% of this was at the expense of existing tropical forests. The scientists who discovered this concluded that intensive agriculture, rather than family farms, was the dominant driver . The problem isn't just limited to tropical regions though; increasing pressure on crop lands around Europe, for example, is leading to the disappearance of a wide variety of plants and animals .

A changing climate

But don't just take our word for it

169 marine areas have been identified as "dead zones" as of 2008 - up from 44 in 1995. One of the largest, found in the Gulf of Mexico, was estimated in 2002 to be the size of Massachusetts - 22000 square kilometres.

World Resources Institute (WRI) (2008)

Current trends suggest that agricultural expansion in the Amazon for grazing and crops will see 40% of this fragile, pristine rain forest destroyed by 2050.

Factory farming endangers the survival of other animals and plants, with impacts including pollution, deforestation and climate change.

So what?

Factory farming endangers the natural world. By taking action against factory farming, we are also helping to preserve valuable ecosystems and the animals and plants that inhabit them.

Pollution

Factory farming pollutes environments, contaminating the natural world with a range of potentially lethal toxins.

Lots of animals equals lots of feed

Lots of animals equals lots of waste

A potential pollution disaster

And there are a host of other impacts

But don't just take our word for it

Some large farms can produce more raw waste than the human population of a large US city.

US Government Accountability Office (GOA) (2008)

Livestock farming accounts for over 60% of our global ammonia emissions.

The livestock business is among the most damaging sectors to the earth's increasingly scarce water resources, contributing among other things to water pollution from animal wastes, antibiotics and hormones, chemicals from tanneries, fertilisers and the pesticides used to spray feed crops.

United Nations (UN) (2010)

So what?

Factory farming pollutes environments. By taking action against factory farming, we are not just creating a food and farming revolution; we are also tackling some of the world's most pressing environmental problems.

Resource waste

Factory farming wastes resources, requiring vast inputs but giving relatively little food energy in return.

Animal farming converts plant products into meat, milk and eggs. More traditional farming methods can be relatively efficient, converting grass and other waste products into useful food. But the 'fast-growth, high-yield' factory-farming model is far less efficient, using huge amounts of resources, such as water, grain and oil, but providing relatively little energy in return.

Protein factories in reverse

Although factory-farmed animals are given a lot of feed, much is wasted - animals cannot convert everything they eat into meat because the energy is used for other activities, such as moving around and keeping warm. In 2000, it was calculated that for every kilo of meat produced, many more kilos of animal feed are required .

High resource use

Because so much feed is used for factory farming, a large amount of other resources are needed to grow it. One of these is land, much more of which is needed to produce meat or dairy products than to produce vegetables, cereals or fruit . And then there's water, which is often used to irrigate the crops, particularly when they are grown in countries which have lower levels of rainfall. According to the WWF , livestock production accounts for around 23% of all water used in agriculture - equivalent to more than 1,150 litres per person per day. A lot of energy is needed too, in particular for the manufacture of synthetic fertiliser and pesticide to grow feed crops . Furthermore, these pesticides and fertilisers require large volumes of valuable resources such as nitrogen and phosphorus. Many of these resources could be put to better use, helping us to grow enough crops for the current world population, for example.

'Peak everything'

But don't just take our word for it

On average, it takes around 6kg of plant protein to produce just 1kg of animal protein.

The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (AJCN) (2003)

It takes over 15,000 litres of water to produce an average kilo of beef. This compares with around 1,200 litres for a kg of maize and 1800 for a kilo of wheat.

United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) (2010)

In the US, chemical-intensive farming uses the equivalent of 1 barrel of oil in energy to produce 1 ton of maize - a major component of animal feed.

So what?

Factory farming wastes resources. By taking action against factory farming, we are not just creating a food and farming revolution; we are also saving vital resources, which can be put to better use elsewhere.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Factory farming is a dirty business, contaminating the natural world and damaging diverse ecosystems.

# data[].attributes.headline
Factory Farming's Toll on The Environmnet

# data[].attributes.subject
Factory Farming's Toll on The Environmnet

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
The Massive Impact of Factory Farming on our Environment | New Roots Institute

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
No matter how you cut it, raising, feeding, and then killing billions of animals is an inefficient and resource-intensive way to feed our growing global population.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Can we create the "perfect" farm? - Brent Loken

# data[].attributes.headline
Solar Panels + Farming = Environmental Win?

# data[].attributes.subject
Solar Panels + Farming = Environmental Win?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Solar Panels Plus Farming? Agrivoltaics Explained

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
The world's food production system produces more than a quarter of global greenhouse gas emissions.

The United Nations says farming must become more sustainable in order to combat the climate crisis and feed a rapidly rising global population.

Farmers around the world are using renewable energy in innovative ways to cut costs and reduce their carbon footprint.

These include solar panels in sheep fields, geothermal energy to grow flowers and biogas to keep birds warm.

The global food production system produces a third of the world's greenhouse gas emissions, studies show. And over 70% of these come from livestock and fisheries, crop production and land use. The rest comes from food processing supply chains related to packaging, transport and retail.

Food production is responsible for at least a third of global GHG emissions. Image: Our World in Data

So how can the farming sector maintain, or even increase, productivity while also reducing emissions and becoming more sustainable? Here are three examples of renewable energy and agriculture working together.

1. Biodiversity-boosting solar panels

The sheep's grazing has helped reduce grass growth, helping the panels from being obscured. They in turn provide shade which helps stop the soil being dried out.

Sheep and solar panels work well together, studies show. Image: Pexels/Vincent Delsuc

"It is actually quite astonishing. Some of the sheep look fantastic. They're growing exponentially and the wool cuts are in the top 5% in the district," wool broker Graeme Ostini told ABC.

What's the World Economic Forum doing about the transition to clean energy?

Moving to clean energy is key to combating climate change, yet in the past five years, the energy transition has stagnated.

Energy consumption and production contribute to two-thirds of global emissions, and 81% of the global energy system is still based on fossil fuels, the same percentage as 30 years ago. Plus, improvements in the energy intensity of the global economy (the amount of energy used per unit of economic activity) are slowing. In 2018 energy intensity improved by 1.2%, the slowest rate since 2010.

Effective policies, private-sector action and public-private cooperation are needed to create a more inclusive, sustainable, affordable and secure global energy system.

Benchmarking progress is essential to a successful transition. The World Economic Forum's Energy Transition Index, which ranks 115 economies on how well they balance energy security and access with environmental sustainability and affordability, shows that the biggest challenge facing energy transition is the lack of readiness among the world's largest emitters, including US, China, India and Russia. The 10 countries that score the highest in terms of readiness account for only 2.6% of global annual emissions.

Additionally, the Mission Possible Partnership (MPP) is working to assemble public and private partners to further the industry transition to set heavy industry and mobility sectors on the pathway towards net-zero emissions. MPP is an initiative created by the World Economic Forum and the Energy Transitions Commission.

Is your organisation interested in working with the World Economic Forum? Find out more here.

2. Geothermal greenhouses

Geothermal systems can regulate temperatures seasonally. Image: NCAT

Farms can use geothermal heat pumps, to both heat and cool buildings. They are able to exchange air and ground temperature all year round.

"During the day the greenhouse gets super hot ... and instead of just letting all that air vent out, the system actually captures it and pumps that heat back down into those pipes in the ground. And then at night when it's super cold outside, it pumps the heat back into the greenhouse ... We're pretty sure it's the first geothermal greenhouse for cut flowers in the US," the couple told NJ.com.

3. Using biogas to heat a poultry farm

Biogas is a renewable source of energy derived from organic matter such as food and animal waste. It can be used for cooking and heating as a more sustainable and often cheaper alternative to natural gas.

He uses manure from pigs and dairy animals to fuel his own on-site biogas plant. He says the savings he has made mean he hopes to use biogas to also heat his piggery farm.

"During one of the winter months I had to pay around $730 [for] an electricity bill. So, I had to think about an alternate way to warm up my poultry farm ... So, in this way, I can use the amount saved for other purposes," he says.

Making agriculture fit for the future

The report found that if an additional 20% of farmers in the EU adopted climate-smart agriculture, greenhouse gas emissions could be reduced by an estimated 6% by 2030. They could also restore the soil health of more than 14% of the EU's total agricultural land, and add between $2bn and $10 billion annually to farmers' incomes.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
3 unusual ways renewable energy is giving farming a boost

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
From solar panels enhancing the quality of sheep wool to birds being kept warm with biogas, here's how renewable energy is innovating farming practices.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.provider_name
U.S. Agency for International Development

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Significant barriers exist that hinder the integration of clean energy technology in agricultural development, including lack of farmer awareness and financial constraints to technology providers' commercial growth.

The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization projects that by 2050 global food production will need to increase 70 percent over 2005-2007 levels to meet the demand of a growing world population expected to reach 9.6 billion people. For food production to keep pace and feed the world, there will need to be an increase in agricultural production resulting in an increased demand for energy.

Clean energy services offer a sustainable alternative to meeting agricultural demand. By deploying clean energy technologies, farmers can mechanize operations, process raw products to add value to commodities, and extend the shelf life of produce through refrigerated storage to feed more people with less environmental impact.

Energy in the Agricultural Value Chain

Energy is critical to almost every aspect of the agricultural value chain. Globally, the food sector consumes 30 percent of total energy supply and generates 20 percent of global emissions. Fluctuating energy prices can negatively impact food production, especially in the developing world, and generating the needed electricity from fossil fuels would significantly increase greenhouse gas emissions within the agriculture sector.

Barriers to Farmers

Farmers are frequently unaware of the variety of new technologies that may be appropriate for them. Because clean energy technologies are relatively new, farmers have limited access to distributors for their installation, parts, and service. Farmers often do not have the means to cover the high capital costs associated with clean energy upgrades, and financing is seldom available.

Barriers to Clean Energy Enterprises

Clean energy enterprises experience challenges accessing debt and equity to support business development and growth. They experience low demand for their technologies due to a lack of farmers' and other potential customers' awareness of their economic and environmental benefits. These challenges are amplified by the remote, scattered, and often resource-constrained nature of client bases within agricultural communities. For these reasons, few successful business models have been effective in delivering clean energy solutions to the agriculture sector in developing countries.

The Continued Need for Clean Energy Innovation

The relationship between clean energy and agriculture can be harnessed to maximize developmental impacts in rural areas. Providing farmers with access to cleaner, more affordable energy can improve community health and create more opportunities to earn income through increased and diversified agricultural production. With increased income, households and communities can purchase more energy. This increase in energy demand can enable new or improved energy products and services, which can create more opportunities to enhance livelihoods and strengthen the energy-agriculture cycle.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Clean Energy Solutions For Agricultural Productivity | Energy | U.S. Agency for International Development

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Significant barriers exist that hinder the integration of clean energy technology in agricultural development, including lack of farmer awareness and financial constraints to technology providers' commercial growth.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
How your food consumption can save the environment