Sustainable Energy for All Youth Summit 2021 – Fueling Action on Clean Cooking Breakout Session
Far too often, the simple act of cooking is overlooked as a global development priority. Globally, three billion people depend on polluting open fires and inefficient fuels, like wood or charcoal, to cook their food. Cooking this way increases exposure to harmful indoor air pollutants, and as many as four million people die prematurely each year from illnesses attributable to household air pollution, accounting for more global deaths than malaria, HIV/AIDS, and tuberculosis combined. Women and girls, who often spend hours cooking and collecting fuel, are disproportionately affected. Furthermore, up to 58% of black carbon emissions—the second largest contributor to climate change—come from burning solid fuels for cooking and heating in homes. Increasing access to clean, affordable, and modern cooking energy technology is essential to addressing energy poverty and ensuring sustainable energy security for billions of people.
In this session, participants will learn about the importance of increasing households’ access to reliable, affordable, and modern energy technologies for cooking. Participants will hear from an agent of change who raises awareness for clean cooking in his community, an entrepreneur who runs a clean cooking business, and a communications professional who manages a digital communications campaign to bolster global support for this issue. This session will demonstrate how youth can utilize their unique platform to contribute to an inclusive and sustainable energy transition.
Moderators:
- Hannah Chi, Senior Associate, Demand and Behavior Change, Clean Cooking Alliance
- Jessica Borbee, Associate, Communications and Partnerships, Clean Cooking Alliance
Speakers:
- Isaac Maweu, Project Associate, I Choose Life
- Charlot Magayi, CEO, Mukuru Clean Stoves