Dirty cooking is one of the most severe yet overlooked global challenges. Over 2.3 billion people still rely on traditional fuels for cooking, with devastating consequences for health and the environment. Millions of premature deaths, worsening air pollution, and significant contributions to climate change highlight the urgent need for a transition to cleaner cooking solutions. Yet, the sector remains critically underfunded—an issue made worse by fraudulent practices in the carbon credit market.
The massive problem of dirty cooking
Dirty cooking involves open fires or inefficient stoves that burn traditional fuels, releasing high levels of harmful pollutants like fine particulate matter and black carbon. These pollutants:
Cause millions of premature deaths each year, primarily affecting the most vulnerable populations
Significantly contribute to global warming, accelerating climate change and degrading air quality
The situation is particularly dire in rural areas and developing countries, where access to modern, sustainable cooking technologies is extremely limited.
The challenge of underfunding
Despite the severity of the issue, investments in clean cooking remain drastically insufficient. According to the Clean Cooking Alliance:
Around $25 million has been mobilized to support innovative clean cooking companies
Research in the sector has received $17.8 million
While these numbers are notable, they fall far short of the billions of dollars needed annually to ensure universal access to clean, safe cooking technologies. This funding gap is a critical barrier to large-scale adoption.
The impact of carbon credit scams
Another obstacle to progress is the rise of carbon credit scams. These fraudulent schemes:
Undermine investor and government confidence in carbon credit markets, which are key tools for financing sustainability projects
Distort the true value of carbon credits, diverting funds that could support improved cooking technologies
Slow global efforts toward sustainable solutions, worsening the cycle of pollution and public health impacts
Together, underfunding and carbon credit fraud are crippling one of the most urgent interventions for mitigating environmental and social harm from dirty cooking.
A global priority for the International Energy Agency
The International Energy Agency (IEA) has identified clean cooking as a top priority. The IEA emphasizes that:
widespread adoption of clean cooking technologies could drastically cut greenhouse gas emissions and improve air quality;
investing in clean cooking not only saves lives but also significantly contributes to climate goals;
strong financial and policy support is essential to transform the sector and ensure a healthier, more sustainable future for millions.
Global attention, backed by real investment, could transform how communities face the dirty cooking crisis.
Toward a future of clean cooking
To bridge the funding gap and rebuild trust in carbon markets, we must:
Increase investment: billions in annual funding are needed to deploy clean cooking solutions at scale;
Reform carbon credit systems: transparent, trustworthy mechanisms are vital to ensure that carbon finance supports real emission reductions;
Foster global cooperation: governments, investors, and NGOs must collaborate to prioritize solutions that protect both health and the environment.
Conclusion
Dirty cooking is a massive issue driving health and environmental crises worldwide. With over 2.3 billion people exposed daily to toxic pollutants, urgent change is essential. But underfunding and the shadow of carbon credit scams continue to stall meaningful progress toward clean cooking.
Koalisation is committed to supporting projects that promote clean cooking, recognizing the urgent need to invest in technologies that save lives, improve air quality, and fight climate change. Now is the time to act—investing in clean cooking is investing in a better future for everyone.