Over 3 billion people around the world still rely on polluting fuels and technology combinations for cooking and the resulting household air pollution causing some 4 million deaths per year. Such inefficient cooking is estimated to be responsible for around 25% of black carbon emissions globally and a major cause of deforestation. Considering the substantial benefits of scaling up clean cooking for health, climate, gender, and development more broadly, a new Health and Energy Platform of Action has been launched by WHO, UNDP, the World Bank and UN DESA to accelerate the transition to clean cooking.
Today, following an information rich keynote presentation from Her Excellency, the Second Lady of the Republic of Ghana, and an introductory presentation from WHO, the CEO of Energia moderated a lively a panel discussion with a diverse set of speakers including a representative from the Ministry of Energy, Kenya, the CEO of the Clean Cooking Alliance, the World Banks’ Practice Manager of Energy Climate Finance & Energy Sector Management Program, a senior policy advisor from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Netherlands, as well as the director of research from the MECS programme. Key issues like the need for political and financial commitment, enhanced multisectoral action, increased attention to the climate opportunities from clean cooking, as well as the importance of making affordable, available clean cooking that meets the needs of the billions of cooks around the world were highlighted.