On July 7, 2026, the High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF) opens at United Nations Headquarters in New York. Running through July 15 — with the ministerial segment from July 13 to 15 — it is the most consequential annual multilateral sustainability convening on the global calendar. And this year, it carries particular weight for anyone working in the energy sector in Africa and the Caribbean: SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy) is one of five goals under formal in-depth review in 2026.
For energy professionals, policymakers, investors, and advocates in Africa and the Caribbean, this is not a routine diplomatic event to observe from the sidelines. It is a moment to be prepared — not just informed. The conversations happening in New York, Geneva, Nairobi, and Bridgetown will shape donor commitments, investment frameworks, and national energy policy for years to come. The question is whether you have the credentials, the vocabulary, and the analytical foundation to be part of those conversations rather than a spectator to them.
Not Sure Where to Start? Begin Here — For Free
Before diving into the full ACEN course catalog, there is one course every energy professional should know about: SDG 7: Understanding the Global Energy Agenda — available at no cost. This is the first course listed on the ACEN platform and it is completely free. No payment, no promo code required. Just sign in and start learning.
The course covers all aspects of UN Sustainable Development Goal 7 — the targets, the measurement indicators, global progress data, the financing landscape, and what SDG 7 means specifically for Africa and the Caribbean. It is the perfect entry point before diving into the full curriculum, and it gives you the foundational vocabulary to engage confidently with the SDG 7 conversation at HLPF and beyond.
Start the free course: SDG 7: Understanding the Global Energy Agenda →
That is what ACEN’s course catalog is designed to give you. Three weeks before HLPF opens, here is the course that fits your role.
Why This HLPF Matters for Africa and the Caribbean
SDG 7 progress is most severely lagging in two regions: sub-Saharan Africa and Small Island Developing States (SIDS) in the Caribbean. The data is stark. Approximately 600 million people in Africa still lack access to electricity — roughly 85% of the global electricity access deficit. Clean cooking access has barely improved in a decade, with nearly one billion people across the continent still relying on biomass fuels. Africa needs an estimated $90 billion per year in clean energy investment through 2030 to stay on an SDG 7-compliant pathway. Current flows are less than a third of that.
In the Caribbean, the challenge is different but equally urgent. Caribbean SIDS have high electrification rates — but electricity is expensive, carbon-intensive, and powered by imported diesel. Energy import dependency leaves island economies exposed to global oil price shocks, and climate vulnerability means the infrastructure being built today faces real threats from intensifying hurricane seasons. Jamaica and Saint Kitts and Nevis will present Voluntary National Reviews at HLPF 2026 — making this a particularly direct accountability moment for Caribbean energy advocates.
HLPF 2026 is where donor commitments get made, national voluntary reviews get scrutinised, and the investment frameworks that shape what gets built — and where — get formed. Being in that conversation, with the right credentials, matters.
Which ACEN Course Is Right for You?
ACEN’s course catalog is built for exactly this moment. Below is a guide matched to five reader profiles — find yours, then act before July 7.
For Policymakers & Government Officials
Energy Poverty: Causes, Solutions & SDG 7 — $35
This course maps directly onto the HLPF SDG 7 review framework. You will learn the SDG 7 target structure, the measurement indicators that define progress (electricity access, clean cooking, renewable share, energy efficiency, international finance flows), and the national policy levers that governments can pull to accelerate delivery. It is the ideal preparation course for anyone presenting or attending a Voluntary National Review at HLPF 2026, advising a delegation, or working on national energy planning in the lead-up to the forum. If you are representing your country’s energy agenda in New York or back home, this course gives you the analytical language the conversation demands.
For Renewable Energy Developers & Project Leads
Solar Energy: Policy, Finance & Deployment in Emerging Markets — $45
Project developers operating in Africa and the Caribbean know that technical feasibility is only half the equation. The other half — policy environment, off-take structures, financing frameworks, and the regulatory approvals that determine whether projects get built — is where this course delivers. HLPF 2026 will shape the post-forum investment frameworks that govern project approvals and capital flows in our regions for the next planning cycle. Understanding the policy and finance landscape before those frameworks crystallise is your competitive advantage. If your projects need to align with post-HLPF investment criteria and donor priorities, this is your prep course.
For ESG Investors & Development Finance Professionals
Clean Energy Investment & ESG Due Diligence — $45
HLPF shapes the narrative that moves institutional capital — the commitments made in July become the benchmarks that ESG frameworks reference in Q4 and beyond. This course is built for anyone deploying capital into clean energy projects or evaluating investment opportunities on ESG grounds. You will develop the due diligence frameworks, impact measurement tools, and ESG reporting vocabulary that institutional investors require, mapped against the SDG 7 targets under review in New York. Whether you are at a development finance institution, an asset manager, or a corporate sustainability desk, this course helps you speak the language that post-HLPF capital allocation requires.
For Climate Advocates & NGO Professionals
Carbon Markets & Net Zero Pathways — $45
Carbon market rules are being finalised at every major intergovernmental meeting — and HLPF 2026 is no exception. This course covers the Article 6 framework under the Paris Agreement, voluntary carbon markets, and how Nationally Determined Contributions connect to net-zero commitments. For civil society advocates and NGO professionals, understanding how carbon markets intersect with the SDG 7 agenda is increasingly essential: carbon credits are becoming a layered revenue stream for clean energy projects in Africa and the Caribbean, and the rules governing them will shape what gets funded. If you are attending side events in New York or advocating for stronger climate finance commitments, this course gives you the technical foundation you need.
For Students & Early-Career Professionals
Introduction to Renewable Energy in Africa & the Caribbean — $35
This is the foundational course. If you are building your career in energy, sustainability, international development, or climate policy, you need the vocabulary, the regional context, and the credentials that signal you are serious about this field. The course covers the energy landscape across both regions, the key technologies and actors, and the policy and financing frameworks that govern the sector — giving you the foundation to engage confidently as the energy conversation heats up post-HLPF. Getting credentialed before July 7 is the right move. The window for being an early entrant in this field is still open; it will not be indefinitely.
Can’t Decide? Take All Five.
Complete Course Bundle — $149
All five courses at a significant discount. Best value for anyone who wants the full picture — whether you are building a team, re-skilling, or positioning yourself as a well-rounded energy professional ahead of a pivotal year. The bundle covers the full spectrum from foundational knowledge through advanced investment and policy analysis, and the savings versus individual course pricing make the decision straightforward for serious professionals.
Courses + ACEN Membership: The Strongest Combination
Beyond the courses, ACEN membership connects you to a network of energy professionals across Africa and the Caribbean who are at HLPF — in briefings, regional chapter calls, and policy roundtables. Members get access to real-time HLPF intelligence, curated introductions to investors and policymakers, and the ongoing community that keeps you connected between the big events.
The Founding Member rate is still available through July with code ACEN10. If you are serious about the African and Caribbean energy space, courses plus membership is the combination that gives you both the credentials and the network. One without the other is half the equation.
The Clock Is Running
HLPF 2026 begins July 7. That is three weeks from today. The SDG 7 conversation — the one that shapes energy financing for Africa and the Caribbean for the next several years — is happening whether you are ready for it or not.
The right time to prepare is now.
Start with the free course — SDG 7: Understanding the Global Energy Agenda — available at no cost. Then use code ACEN10 for 10% off any paid course or membership.
Browse ACEN courses and enroll today →
Use code ACEN10 for 10% off courses and membership. Available now through July.
Published by the ACEN Editorial Team. The African & Caribbean Energy Network (ACEN) is a membership-based platform connecting investors, policymakers, and energy professionals across Africa, the Caribbean, and the global diaspora. For membership inquiries, contact info@acenergynetwork.org.