Secretary Clinton’s Commitment to Clean Cookstoves Highlighted in New NYT Profile
As the United States, indeed the world, prepares for the eventual departure of Hillary Rodham Clinton as Secretary of State, I want to draw your attention to a new, in-depth New York Times Magazine profile of this ‘rock star’ diplomat. The opening paragraphs are about her commitment to clean cookstoves!
Readers of this blog know that it was Secretary Clinton who launched the Global Alliance for Clean Cookstoves almost two years ago. The Secretary has long been a vocal and leading advocate for the health, safety and rights of women around the world, so it was only natural she helped create an organization that at its very core is about saving lives, improving livelihoods, empowering women and combating climate change.
Cooking kills – 2 million annually worldwide – but it doesn’t have to, and that is the driving mantra behind the Alliance’s goal to create a thriving global market for clean cooking solutions.
The Alliance is now almost 400-partners strong, including countries, multinational corporations, academic institutions, and groups working on cookstove projects on the ground. Much of this mobilization is thanks to the Secretary, who has shepherded a 10-agency, $100 million-plus U.S. government commitment to the Alliance through advocacy, research, standards, testing and a host of other support that will help the Alliance achieve its goal of 100 million households adopting clean cooking solutions by 2020.
A lifelong champion of women and children here at home and around the world – from lawyer and advocate to First Lady to Senator to Secretary of State – Mrs. Clinton deserves a much-needed rest after her decades of public service. But we know that this issue that impacts almost half the world’s population is close to her heart, and we therefore look forward to continuing to work closely with her in the years to come.