Radha’s Message for April 2016
Dear Friends,
As events in April continue to confirm, clean cooking is firmly on the global development agenda.
In New York last week, I was honored to witness the signing of the Paris Agreement, a culmination of years of work aimed at reducing global emissions and mitigating climate change. As governments, civil society, the private sector, and international organizations commit to addressing global warming, it is now well-recognized that proven solutions like clean and efficient cookstoves and fuels are required to simultaneously reduce climate and environmental degradation, as well as advance sustainable development objectives.
I was particularly pleased to see China, an Alliance Focus Country, show leadership in signing the Agreement. The week prior to the signing, I traveled to Beijing to join G20 energy representatives in outlining priorities around energy access. In my various meetings with G20 member state representatives, the need to address climate change was made clear, and the great news for our sector was that clean cooking will now be officially recognized as a key component of the G20 energy equation at the G20 Summit this fall.
While in Beijing, I also joined Counsel Xie Ji of China’s NDRC, Wang Shi, Chairman of the Board for Vanke, and Madam Zhao Xinzhu, Chairwoman of Zhongyi Group, along with representatives from government, academia and the private sector, to launch the Alliance China Council. Madam Zhao Xinzhu will be the Executive Secretary-General of the new China Council, which will work to bring together influential leaders and organizations across China in our work to reach 40 million households with clean and efficient cookstoves and fuels by 2020.
Also in April, as part of our increasing work to change cooking behaviors globally, we teamed with local Alliances, partners and government officials in Uganda and Ghana to launch campaigns to spur adoption of cleaner, more efficient cookstoves. The campaigns will include a wide range of outreach tools including advocacy trainings, radio PSAs, market activations, social media campaigns, and building one-on-one consumer connections.
Looking ahead to May, there are a number of major events and announcements planned, kicking off later this week with an expected announcement from Indian Prime Minister Modi to launch a multi-year, multi-million dollar commitment to provide cooking gas connections for up to 50 million of India's poor. This could mark a major step for India and the clean cooking sector more broadly.
Also in May, we're looking with anticipation toward two global convenings, Women Deliver and the World Humanitarian Summit. At both, the Alliance will join partners to host official side events, speak on multiple panels, and showcase clean cooking information in efforts to ensure the gender and humanitarian communities recognize the role of clean cooking in helping them reach their goals.
Warm regards,
Radha