Global Bioenergy Partnership

Clean cooking

Over 2.1 billion people still lack access to clean cooking solutions, leading to serious health, environmental and economic challenges. Traditional fuels like wood and charcoal contribute significantly to greenhouse gas emissions, while exposure to indoor air pollution disproportionately affects women and children.

A transition to modern, renewable, clean cooking solutions is crucial to achieving SDG 7 (affordable, reliable, sustainable energy) and SDG 13 (climate action), along with other related SDGs. Bioenergy solutions can foster local value chains for biomass production and clean cookstoves and diversify farmer incomes. They also enhance food security and improve nutrition. Moreover, the transition to clean cooking addresses gender inequalities tied to fuel collection and hazardous cooking conditions, improving lives in both domestic and institutional settings.

 

GBEP's role 

GBEP supports countries in transitioning to clean cooking by offering sustainability assessments, policy engagement and leveraging expertise from its global partners.

GBEP work on clean cooking focuses on:

  • Sustainability of bioenergy value chains for clean cooking
  • Stakeholder engagement across value chains
  • Integration of clean cooking into nutrition and SDG7 discussions
  • Advocacy for clean cooking in climate policies
  • Leveraging climate finance for clean cooking projects
  • Exploring intersections between clean cooking and heating
  • Promoting clean cooking as a gender issue and part of a just energy transition

This Activity Group is co-led by Uganda and the United Nations Environment Programme.

Related publications
COVER page
2022

This literature review identifies the various positive interlinkages between bioenergy and nutrition that have been explored in existing research, especially implications on food and nutrition security, and the impacts on agricultural land and soil quality, which could influence nutrient contents of food, and other aspects of health related to nutrition. It is intended to highlight good practices in bioenergy production that can have positive impacts on nutrition.

cover image
2011

This report presents 24 indicators of sustainability regarding the production and use of modern bioenergy, to monitor and report on the environmental, social and economic aspects of sustainable development. The GBEP Sustainability Indicators (GSIs) are a relevant, practical, science-based tool that can inform policy-makers and other stakeholders in countries seeking to develop their bioenergy sector to help meet national goals of sustainable development.

All publications
 
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During a national workshop facilitated by GBEP, stakeholders discussed strategies to address barriers to bioethanol adoption, emphasizing the need for private sector engagement, enhanced regulatory frameworks and financing mechanisms, and awareness-raising initiatives to improve clean cooking access across Rwanda.
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At a national workshop organized by GBEP, stakeholders from various sectors convened to delve into the potential benefits of bioethanol as a clean cooking fuel alternative and discuss strategic solutions to overcome barriers to its accessibility and expansion.
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The Food and Nutrition Division of FAO and the Global Bioenergy Partnership (GBEP) have extended the deadline for the submission of papers on bioenergy clean cooking interventions. The new deadline for submissions is now September 30, 2024. 
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