4 million 50%
people are estimated to die prematurely each year from indoor air pollution
“I
fell from knolls and terraces, got scratches from thorns, and endured
so much to collect firewood. There is no accounting for how much I suffered,” one beneficiary of a clean-cooking project in Nepal says. “Blowing fire, I would get exposed to smoke. As a result, I would suffer from headaches, feel dizzy. It used to be difficult.” Over one-third of the world’s
population, those without access to clean-cooking technologies, have to endure similar hardships and health problems; 2.8 billion people worldwide currently cook on open fires or inefficient stoves fueled by solid biomass, kerosene, or coal. The health impact is enormous: the
World Health Organization estimates that as many as four million people die prematurely each year from indoor air pollution, 50 percent of them young children. The problem is particularly acute in sub-Saharan Africa, where population growth has outstripped increased clean-cooking provision – and where COVID-19 now threatens to reverse recent progress in cooking methods. Beyond the human impact is a heavy
environmental toll. Household cooking, heating, and lighting that use such polluting fuels are responsible for 25 percent of black carbon emissions, the second largest contributor to climate change after carbon dioxide. These short-lived pollutants quickly return to Earth with precipitation, blackening areas of snow and ice that reflect sunlight back into space – furthering glacier and polar melt. Around 30% of the woodfuel
of them are young children
(firewood and charcoal) that produces these pollutants is from unsustainable sources; the resulting deforestation is equivalent to two percent of global CO2 emissions. The potential of clean cooking to both improve human quality of life and mitigate climate change is why the OPEC Fund will give its 2021 Annual Award – including a US$100,000 prize – to a project in the field. The intertwined social and environmental impact of using solid fuels – estimated to cost US$123 billion annually – make replacing them central to SDG 7 (Energy). But it is also highly pertinent to SDG 3 (Good health & well- being), SDG 10 (Reduced inequalities), and SDG 11 (Sustainable cities and communities). The World Bank believes the overall economic cost of polluting cooking technologies and fuels could be as high as US$2.4 trillion annually. The OPEC Fund has so far invested
more than US$6 million in Africa, Asia, Europe and Latin America and the Carribean in the rapidly expanding variety of clean-cooking technologies and fuels. More efficient carbon-burning stoves represent a scalable solution in many regions, but transitioning to clean electric stoves is the ultimate goal; solar-powered versions can help avoid burdening underdeveloped electricity grids. A greater choice of fuels will also be
key to decarbonizing cooking; choosing the appropriate option depends on many factors, from affordability to resource availability. Liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) is a clean-burning fuel that is
increasing access to cooking for millions in India and China, while biogas – produced from animal and kitchen waste – is one renewable possibility. Finding solutions that fit the almost
inconceivable number of different cooking contexts and user preferences across the world is one reason why progress on clean cooking remains limited so far. The Clean Cooking Alliance, a public-private partnership, was founded in 2010 to raise awareness. At the end of 2020, the G20 launched an Initiative on Clean Cooking and Energy Access, while the World Bank has established a US$500 million Clean Cooking Fund. But more is needed to achieve
universal access. To make that a reality by 2030, the World Bank estimates that about US$150 billion per year would be needed, including US$39 billion of public sector money to ensure the necessary technology is affordable, and US$11 billion from the private sector to put the necessary infrastructure in place on the ground. By selecting a project that demonstrates excellence in both innovating and implementing clean-cooking technology for its Annual Award, the OPEC Fund aims to draw further attention to this vital field at the heart of communal life everywhere – and the future of the planet.
SPECIAL FEATURE
The potential of clean cooking to both improve human quality of life and mitigate climate change is why the OPEC Fund will give its 2021 Annual Award – including a US$100,000 prize – to a project in the field.
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PHOTO: Create Hot Look/
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