Traditional Cooking Fuels Claim 3 Million Lives Annually in Africa- UNFCCC

Africa’s reliance on traditional cooking fuels is costing the continent both economically and in human lives, according to Simon Stiell, executive secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

Speaking on Thursday, September 5, Stiell emphasised the severe impact of climate change on Africa, highlighting that the use of traditional fuels contributes significantly to greenhouse gas emissions and is responsible for approximately 3 million premature deaths annually.

“Africa is warming at a faster rate than the global average, and unfortunately, Africans are paying the heaviest price,” Stiell said.

Traditional cooking methods, which rely on fuels like wood and charcoal, are used by nearly 1 billion people on the continent, according to estimates. These methods emit greenhouse gases on a scale comparable to global aviation or shipping industries, according to Stiell. The result is not just environmental damage but also significant health risks, particularly for women and children who are often exposed to harmful smoke.

Stiell added that addressing this issue would require an investment of $4 billion annually. However, the broader economic toll of climate change on the continent is even more alarming. Many African nations are losing up to 5% of their GDP due to climate-related impacts, such as extreme weather events, desertification, and the disruption of food production.

“Climate action can and should be the single greatest opportunity for Africa to lift up people, communities, and economies after centuries of exploitation and neglect,” Stiell stated. He urged African leaders to seize the opportunity presented by climate action to not only mitigate the devastating impacts of climate change but also to fuel sustainable economic growth.

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Stiell further noted that unchecked global warming is exacerbating existing challenges, such as food insecurity and inflation, driving up the cost of living, and destabilizing economies.

“It’s time to flip the script,” he said, advocating for a shift from viewing climate change as a threat to recognizing it as a catalyst for economic transformation in Africa.

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