This archive report was first published on 24 November 2019.
As the world struggles to meet a global target to ensure universal access to clean, modern cooking fuel by 2030, clean energy experts warn that meager investment is hindering progress.
According to the World Health Organization, three billion people globally cook with dirty solid fuels such as charcoal and wood on open fires or traditional stoves that produce high levels of carbon monoxide, killing four million people annually.
On November 24, 2019, Reuters reported that the use of dirty fuels for cooking also contributes to deforestation and climate change, accounting for approximately 2 percent of global carbon emissions, equivalent to annual air travel emissions, according to the World Bank.
Despite the far-reaching benefits of clean cooking, the level of funding in the sector falls far short of sufficiently matching the global magnitude of this challenge, said Dymphna van der Lans, CEO of the Clean Cooking Alliance.
“No one’s life should be limited by the way they cook, yet globally three billion people depend on polluting open fires or inefficient harmful stoves to cook their food,” she said.
As of 2017, total investment in clean cooking businesses was $40 million, a fraction of the $4 billion required annually to ensure universal access to cleaner options of cooking by 2030.
With population growth outpacing the number of people gaining access in clean cooking by four times, World Bank officials warn that 2.2 billion people will still not have access by the end of the next decade if current trends continue.
