UK to give £74m for switch from burning wood and coal to clean cooking

Helen Corbett PA Political Correspondent & Alya Zayed
·1-min read
Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg
-Credit: (Image: PA Archive/PA Images)


The UK will spend £74 million to support 10 million people in global south countries to switch to clean cooking and stop burning wood or coal. Development minister Anneliese Dodds will announce the funding package at the Cop29 climate summit in Azerbaijan.

Around 2.1 billion people worldwide still have to cook using firewood, charcoal or other polluting fuels.

Ms Dodds said: “Britain is back with a voice on the world stage, and we are leading on new initiatives to support health and the environment.

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“This package will support 10 million people across Sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, and the Indo-Pacific to leave coal and wood cooking behind, helping the environment while also improving the health of women and girls who are so often exposed to damaging fumes from burning coal and wood.

“Nothing could be more central to the UK’s own national interest than delivering progress on arresting rising temperatures. This is our chance to achieve clean and secure energy, both globally and at home, and, in doing so, drive growth for the UK.”

She is also announcing a 16 million dollar (£12.6 million) investment into Africa Go Green, a fund backing early stage businesses taking climate action in Africa.

The Weather and Climate Information Services (WISER) programme in Africa will also get a £30 million boost for its forecasting and planning work, bringing its total UK funding up to £47 million.

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