Uganda’s transition to clean cooking technologies, exemplified by Christine Kagimu’s shift to solar-powered induction cookers, aims to enhance public health and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. With over 2 billion people reliant on polluting fuels, the initiative seeks to cut air pollution-related fatalities and deforestation. Supported by UNEP, Uganda’s government has set ambitious targets for electric cooking, benefitting both the environment and vulnerable communities, particularly refugees.
Christine Kagimu, a mother of six from a town near Kampala, Uganda, has upgraded to an electric induction cooker powered by two solar panels. Shifting away from the costly and polluting charcoal stove she once relied on, she notes the affordability and reliability of solar energy as a significant advantage. “Charcoal gets very expensive; a bag costs around US$50. The sun is free for everyone,” she explains.
A growing number of Ugandans are transitioning to electric cooking technologies, supported by an ambitious national initiative in collaboration with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). This movement aims to reduce air pollution-related fatalities, slow deforestation, and minimize greenhouse gas emissions, addressing wider environmental and health issues. John Christensen, Director of the UNEP Copenhagen Climate Centre, emphasizes, “The way we cook food has huge implications not only for our health but the health of the planet.”
Globally, over two billion individuals depend on solid fuels, such as charcoal or kerosene, for cooking, leading to severe health consequences. Household air pollution from these sources accounted for an estimated 3.2 million deaths in 2020, including over 237,000 children under five. Additionally, non-renewable cooking fuels constitute a significant source of greenhouse gas emissions and contribute to the loss of around ten million hectares of forest annually.
The benefits of transitioning to solar and clean cooking technologies will be highlighted during International Day of Clean Energy, taking place on January 26. A recent UNEP study indicates that solar-powered cooking could save between two and four tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions annually, comparable to the yearly emissions from one car. This insight has spurred calls for nations to integrate clean cooking targets into their climate commitments under the Paris Agreement.
Supported by the UNEP-led NDC Action project, Uganda has included solar electric cooking targets in its national climate initiative, aiming for 50% of its population to be cooking with electricity by 2040. Furthermore, efforts are underway to assist more than 1.7 million refugees residing in Uganda, facilitating their transition to clean cooking.
The Africa-wide Solar Electric Cooking Partnership for Humanitarian Contexts, established with UNEP backing, aims to provide affordable solar cooking technologies to 250,000 refugees and local households by 2030, especially focusing on 150,000 in Uganda. Justine Akumu, Senior Energy Officer at Uganda’s Ministry of Energy, encourages financial innovation to make these technologies accessible, allowing payments to be made monthly rather than upfront.
Kagimu purchased her electric cooking system after four months of savings, paying half of the total cost upfront and financing the remainder at zero percent interest. She anticipates repaying the cost within two years, enjoying substantial long-term savings while benefiting from the convenience of her new cooker. “With the e-cooker, I just have to press a button,” she states, relishing the ease it brings to her daily life.
The International Day of Clean Energy on January 26 serves as a rallying call to promote awareness and action toward a just energy transition that benefits both people and the planet. UNEP supports the Paris Agreement’s goal of maintaining global temperature rise below 2°C, aspiring for a 1.5°C target through a strategic approach to reducing emissions across key sectors.
Uganda’s push for clean cooking technologies symbolizes a dual commitment to improving public health and combating climate change. With substantial investments in solar-powered cooking appliances, the nation aims to reduce reliance on polluting fuels and promote sustainable energy practices. Initiatives such as the Solar Electric Cooking Partnership demonstrate the importance of innovative solutions to ensure community access to clean energy resources while addressing the needs of vulnerable populations. As more individuals like Christine Kagimu adopt electric cooking, the potential for significant health and environmental benefits increases, making a compelling case for transitioning to cleaner energy alternatives.
Original Source: www.unep.org
