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The inaugural Summit on Clean Cooking in Africa has seen USD 2.2 billion pledged towards clean cooking. A push to provide clean cooking options for the more than 1 billion people in Africa who currently rely on fuels such as charcoal and wood. This has been raised in pledges from governments and the private sector.
An inaugural Summit on Clean Cooking in Africa, held in Paris, drew more than 1,000 delegates from nearly 60 countries to address the health and climate impacts of cooking using open fires and basic stoves. Using fuels such as agricultural waste and animal dung in this way is the second-biggest cause of premature death in Africa, mostly among Sub-Saharan women and children.
This Summit has delivered an emphatic commitment to an issue that has been ignored by too many people for too long, IEA Executive Director Fatih Birol said. Still a long way to go, but the outcome of this Summit, USD 2.2 billion committed, can help support fundamental rights such as health, gender equality, and education while also reducing emissions and restoring forests.
Ensuring clean cooking access for all in Africa needs adequate, affordable, and sustainable financing for appropriate solutions and innovations; adequate global attention; and smart policies and partnerships. Successfully advancing the clean cooking agenda in Africa would contribute towards protecting the environment, climate, health, and ensuring gender equality. This Summit underscores our commitment to advancing this agenda and providing a framework towards universal adoption of clean cooking fuels and technologies across the continent, stated President of Tanzania Samia Suluhu Hassan.
The governments of Tanzania and Norway, and the African Development Bank, also helped chair the event, while French President Emmanuel Macron hosted a meeting for heads of state and other leaders. Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre said Norway would contribute USD 50 million to the efforts, while African Development Bank President Akinwumi Adesina said it would raise its funding to $200 million a year over the next decade.
The IEA said it would ensure that the pledges are fulfilled and monitor the process to make sure the money is spent promptly and reaches those in need, and lead efforts to help raise the USD 4 billion a year needed by 2030.
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https://trendsnafrica.com/stove-revolution-in-kenya-to-check-carbon-footprint/
https://trendsnafrica.com/nigerians-lean-towards-biofuel-as-cost-of-cooking-gas-soars/
Lack of access to clean cooking affects over 2 billion people worldwide. More than half are in Africa, typically cooking over open fires and basic stoves. Using charcoal, wood, agricultural waste, and animal dung as fuel, they inhale harmful toxic fumes and smoke with dire consequences for health. It is the second leading cause of premature death in Africa. Women and children account for most of the lives lost, the vast majority of them in sub-Saharan Africa. Opportunities for education, employment, and independence are limited because women instead spend hours each day foraging for rudimentary fuels.
The IEA was the first international agency to start tracking energy access more than two decades ago and has been a steadfast voice advocating for clean cooking access ever since.
