Tools for clean cooking are readily available and affordable, promising transformative effects on lives across Africa.
However, progress in many African nations lags considerably behind other regions.
Global Progress and Persistent Challenges
Since 2010, global access to clean cooking solutions has increased by 16 percentage points, reaching 74% in 2022, according to the Energy Progress Report 2024. Despite this advancement, roughly 2.1 billion people, constituting about 26% of the global population, still rely on polluting fuels and technologies for cooking.
Worryingly, if current trends persist, only 79% of the world’s population is projected to have access to clean cooking fuels and technologies by 2030. This leaves nearly 1.8 billion people dependent on traditional, inefficient stoves using solid fuels (wood, charcoal, coal, crop waste) and kerosene for cooking, posing significant health and environmental risks.
Africa’s Disproportionate Burden
Africa, already trailing in clean technology adoption, will bear the brunt of this crisis. The report estimates that without intervention, 6 out of 10 people lacking clean cooking access will reside in sub-Saharan Africa by 2030, with minimal improvement by 2050.
Ten countries in the region are among the 20 globally that account for 74% of the population without clean cooking access. Furthermore, over 923 million people in Africa lack access to clean cooking fuels and technologies.
A Glimmer of Hope
These figures underscore the continent’s significant lag in this sector. However, financial institutions and governments are recognizing this issue, as evidenced by commitments made in May 2024 to mobilize $2.2 billion for clean cooking access in Africa. This represents a crucial step towards addressing this pressing challenge and improving the lives of millions across the continent.