Carbon-credit financing drives rapid expansion of affordable clean-cooking solutions across Africa
Carbon-credit financing is allowing low-income African households to replace smoky charcoal stoves with cheaper, cleaner options such as induction cookers.
Mary Kavutha in Nairobi now cooks with an induction stove that costs 80 cents a day, a switch made possible by carbon-credit financing that reduces the price of clean-cooking equipment. The IEA reports that Africa recently attracted $900 million in new commitments and that more than 30 governments have introduced 121 clean-cooking policies since 2015. Firms such as BURN, Eco Safi, BioMassters and ENEDOM are using carbon-credit revenue to offer subsidised electric, biomass and pellet stoves across Kenya, Tanzania, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Madagascar, Uganda, Malawi and Rwanda.
While the model has helped millions afford cleaner technology, experts like George Mwaniki caution that carbon credits arrive only after manufacturers need capital, risking a slower transition. Nonetheless, the approach is viewed as the most viable path to cut the roughly 850,000 annual deaths linked to household air pollution on the continent.
Why it matters
Affordable clean cooking reduces indoor smoke, saves money for families and eases Africa's health and climate challenges.
In this story
