Clean Cooking

The Problem

• 2.6 billion people or 1 in 3 globally, lack access to safe, clean cooking fuels and technology.

• 4 million people die annually from cancer and lung diseases related to indoor pollution from cooking fires.

• Household air pollution was responsible for an estimated 3.2 million deaths per year in 2020, including over 237 000 deaths of children under the age of 5.

• Women and children, typically responsible for household chores such as cooking collecting firewood, bear the greatest health burden from the use of polluting fuels and technologies in homes.

• 32% of all fire wood collected for cooking are done so unsustainably, contributing to deforestation and climate change.

India specific:

• 41% of the Indian population still uses wood, cow dung or other biomass as cooking fuel and cumulatively emits around 340 million tonnes of carbon dioxide into the environment every year.

• Solid fuel burned for coking accounted for six lakh premature deaths in 2019 in India.

• 27 of every 1000 babies and children die due to exposure to dirty cooking fuels in India.

Our Solution

• Distribution of clean cookstoves via our network of partner NGOs and social enterprises

• Training community leaders to implement the building of clean cookstoves in their villages

• Planning, implementation and monitoring via digital platforms and independent verification to ensure carbon registry compliance

Our Impact

• So far, the project has provided 25,610 people with improved cookstoves, aligning with 9 UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs):

• UNSDG 1: 100% access to basic services at zero/nominal costs, and increased savings due to decrease in expenditure on medical expenses, reducing poverty within project areas.

• UNSDG 3: All households have achieved a 100% reduction in indoor pollution, thereby decreasing occurrences of diseases caused by air pollutants.

• UNSDG 4: Advancement in education with digital literacy training to 269 individuals.

• UNSDG 5: Women are now saving 1560 hours in time previously allocated to cooking and collecting fuelwood annually per household, thereby advancing gender equality efforts.

• UNSDG 7: Provides clean cooking solution to 5,122 households.

• UNSDG 8: 269 individuals have been employed under various project activities.

• UNSDG 9: Promotes and supports 9 local enterprises.

• UNSDG 13: Reduces approximately 23,249 tonnes of CO2e emissions annually, contributing to climate action.

• UNSDG 15: Saves 13,797 tonnes of fuelwood per household per annum, preserving tree cover and biodiversity.

• UNSDG 17: Collaborates with several partners in project implementation, technology, and finance sectors, enabling impact at scale.