Creating access to clean cooking is essential for climate action and was underscored at the recent high-level summit on clean cooking for Africa, organized by the IEA in May 2024. Charcoal and firewood remain major contributors to deforestation and account for 60-80% of black carbon emissions across Africa, driving substantial net carbon emissions. Using briquettes and pellets from agricultural residues as fuel can offer a sustainable alternative that protects forest ecosystems, supports local businesses, and improves the health of women and children.
To achieve the SDG7 target for universal access to affordable, reliable, and modern energy services, it is essential to place biomass-based and lower-tier cooking technologies within the broader context of the clean energy transition.
• Clean cooking as a climate action agenda, and how this links to the broader energy transition.
• Benefits, opportunities and limitations of using agricultural residues as clean cooking fuel.
• Innovative and sustainable solutions from Malawi and Sierra Leone.
• Programs supporting access to clean cooking solutions and the adoption of sustainable cooking fuels.
Organised by the SESA project, this session will showcase successful initiatives and provide insights into making clean cooking a reality in communities across Africa.
Panellists
- James Haselip, Senior Advisor - Climate and Energy, UNEP Copenhagen Climate Centre (00:26)
- Susanne Paulrud, Senior Researcher, Research Institutes of Sweden (RISE) (09:14)
- Chikondi Khonje, General manager and Co-founder, Going Green Ltd. (19:47)
- Margaret Yainkain Mansaray, Founder/CEO, Women in Energy Sierra Leone Limited (29:07)
- Heli Sinkko, Programme Manager, Nefco - the Nordic Green Bank (41:27)
-Q&A (50:17)
