Africa Needs Billions for Climate-Friendly Cooking Solutions

Despite the urgent need to reduce emissions and indoor air pollution from traditional cooking methods, Africa continues to lag behind other regions in transitioning to cleaner cooking fuels and stoves, writes Bukola Adebayo for the Thomson Reuters Foundation.

Around 80% of African households, or about one billion people, still rely on smoky, high-emissions fuels like wood, charcoal, and dung, posing significant health risks and contributing to climate change. Efforts to promote modern, energy-efficient stoves face challenges such as affordability, with many families unable to afford the upfront costs, and a lack of robust financing and government initiatives.

The International Energy Agency aims to raise $4 billion annually at an upcoming summit in Paris to support green cooking projects across the continent. Experts emphasize the need for homegrown solutions, such as leveraging Africa's gas reserves and integrating off-grid options like solar panels, to create sustainable business opportunities and boost access to cleaner cooking alternatives.