Minister of Energy Ibrahim Matola has stressed the need for increased financing towards clean cooking if countries are to achieve universal access to clean and modern energy by 2030.
Matola made the remarks during the virtual address to delegates at the 6th Global Energy Interconnection currently underway in Beijing , China.
He observed that there is a global shortage of or insufficient financing towards clean cooking despite that access to clean and modern cooking plays a significant part in ensuring universal access to clean and modern energy by 2030.
"While it is critical that we continue to expand connections, energy poverty will remain a challenge if the issue of clean and modern cooking is not addressed," he said.
Adding that: "Our focus on energy poverty has been on grid connections and to a lesser extent on mini or micro mini-grids."
Matola said the initiatives mainly serve the purpose of providing electricity for lighting, powering appliances, and charging mobile phones.
Most of the times, we do forget that, according to the Sustainable Energy for All, around billion people worldwide do not have access to clean cooking solutions, he said.
"These people rely on burning traditional biomass or polluting fuels, which have severe consequences including indoor air pollution that causes millions of deaths annually," said the minister.
Matola said that it is high time that access to modern and clean cooking was made a priority globally and at country levels.
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In his remarks, a Columbia University professor and president of the University Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network, Jeffrey Sachs, stated that funds are critical if the world is to meet climate change targets.
He concurred with the minister on the importance of funding.
"To meet our goals, we will need to invest heavily in climate change mitigation," he said.
Furthermore, Sachs explained that: "Let us collaborate with our neighbours by connecting together. We cannot operate in isolation. Our neighbours cannot be enemies because no single country can do it alone."
The 2023 Global Energy Interconnection Conference has been organised by Global Energy Interconnection Development and Cooperation Organisation (GEIDCO).
This Conference aims to build consensus and pool synergy for accelerating world energy transition and sustainable development. The conference will further facilitate the implementation of the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the African Union's Agenda 2063.
