Belém, Brazil – The global push to bring clean cooking access to billions of people gained renewed focus at the COP30 Leaders Summit on Friday, as the Prime Minister of Norway and the head of the International Energy Agency (IEA) joined other high-level speakers to assess progress since last year’s landmark Paris Summit on Clean Cooking in Africa.
Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre of Norway and Fatih Birol, Executive Director of the IEA, led a press briefing in Belém to outline how international efforts to address the clean cooking crisis are evolving amid increasing attention from global energy and climate forums. The event, hosted by the IEA and partners, took place from 13:00 to 13:30 Belém time in the COP30 Blue Zone, immediately following the Energy Transitions Roundtable chaired by Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
Assessing Progress Since the Paris Summit
The briefing focused on progress made since the Paris Summit on Clean Cooking in Africa, convened by the IEA and partners in May 2024, where $2.2 billion was mobilized to make that year a turning point for access to clean cooking solutions. Speakers at the COP30 session highlighted both the achievements to date and the ongoing challenges in scaling investments and policy commitments.
According to the IEA, the funding announced in Paris marked a significant milestone, but much more remains to be done. The briefing examined how this initial momentum has translated into real-world progress — through new partnerships, pilot projects, and growing recognition of clean cooking as a global development and climate priority.
The issue has gained visibility in major international forums including the G7, G20, and the United Nations climate negotiations, underscoring its intersectional importance across sectors such as public health, gender equality, and environmental protection.
A Crossroads for Energy, Health, and Equity
Speakers emphasized that access to clean cooking is not only a matter of energy policy but also a crucial determinant of health, social equity, and economic opportunity. Today, roughly 2 billion people worldwide — about one-quarter of the global population — still rely on open fires or rudimentary stoves that burn solid fuels such as wood or animal waste.
The consequences are severe: household air pollution from these sources contributes to over 800,000 premature deaths each year in Africa alone, the vast majority of them among women and children. Beyond its human toll, the lack of clean cooking access undermines education, productivity, and environmental sustainability, as millions of people — predominantly women — spend hours each day collecting fuel.
IEA analysis shows that the annual investment required to close the clean cooking gap in Africa is less than 0.1% of global energy spending. Yet the potential benefits are immense. Expanding access would prevent millions of deaths, reduce deforestation, cut greenhouse gas emissions, and create new economic opportunities across the continent, particularly for women entrepreneurs.
Momentum Building Through COP30 and Beyond
Friday’s press briefing was part of a broader effort by the IEA and its partners to integrate clean cooking into mainstream global climate discussions. Brazil’s COP30 Presidency has listed clean cooking as one of its top energy priorities, linking the issue to the country’s agenda for inclusive and sustainable development.
The discussion in Belém came on the heels of the Energy Transitions Roundtable, where leaders from governments, development banks, and international organizations explored how to accelerate the deployment of clean energy technologies in emerging economies. Clean cooking, participants noted, represents one of the most cost-effective and socially transformative opportunities within the broader energy transition.
By bringing together leaders from both developed and developing nations, the IEA aimed to strengthen political momentum ahead of 2026, when further updates on financing and implementation progress are expected.
Global Commitment, Local Action
The IEA and its partners stressed that sustained international cooperation will be critical to maintaining the gains achieved since the Paris Summit. While financial pledges are increasing, speakers noted the importance of ensuring that commitments translate into practical solutions — from scalable stove technologies to localized energy supply chains.
Efforts are also underway to better integrate clean cooking access into national climate and energy plans, supported by data, policy reforms, and targeted investments in rural areas.
The IEA framed the issue as both a moral and economic imperative, arguing that closing the clean cooking gap would represent one of the most impactful returns on investment in global development. The agency’s research indicates that such efforts could help meet multiple Sustainable Development Goals simultaneously — from improving public health to empowering women and combating climate change.
Continuing the Dialogue
The briefing, open to accredited journalists at the COP30 Leaders Summit, took place in Press Briefing Room 2 within the Belém Climate Summit Complex. Media inquiries were directed to the IEA’s press office for follow-up information.
As global attention increasingly turns to practical solutions for inclusive energy access, the conversation in Belém underscored a growing consensus: ensuring universal access to clean cooking is essential for achieving both social progress and climate resilience.
