Did you know that over 2 billion people worldwide still cook over open fires or basic stoves, risking their health and the environment every day? This staggering reality is at the heart of the upcoming World Leaders Summit at COP30, where progress on clean cooking in Africa will take center stage. But here's where it gets controversial: despite the urgent need, the annual investment required to solve this crisis is less than 0.1% of global energy spending. Why hasn’t this issue been prioritized sooner? Let’s dive in.
Following the Paris Summit on Clean Cooking in Africa in May 2024, where a groundbreaking $2.2 billion was mobilized to make 2024 a turning point for clean cooking access, key figures like Prime Minister of Norway Jonas Gahr Støre and IEA Executive Director Fatih Birol will deliver remarks at a press briefing. This event, scheduled for 17:00-17:30 Paris time, will spotlight advancements since the summit and outline the steps needed to sustain momentum. And this is the part most people miss: clean cooking isn’t just about energy—it’s a critical intersection of health, climate, economic opportunity, and gender equality.
The briefing will assess how investments and policies have evolved, while also examining the role of major international forums like COP30, the G7, and the G20 in addressing this issue. It will immediately follow the Energy Transitions Roundtable, chaired by Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, where clean cooking is set to be a top priority for Brazil’s COP30 Presidency.
Here’s the harsh reality: half of the people without access to clean cooking live in Africa, and this lack of access contributes to over 800,000 premature deaths annually on the continent, mostly women and children. It also fuels deforestation, increases emissions, and stifles economic development. Yet, closing this gap could unlock millions of jobs, particularly for women, while saving lives and protecting the environment.
Controversial question: Is the global community doing enough to address this crisis, or are we failing to prioritize one of the most solvable yet overlooked challenges of our time? Share your thoughts in the comments—let’s spark a conversation that drives real change.
