A youth panel has called on Governments and experts in the clean energy sector to involve the youth in the clean energy discourse.
It said the youth were the change makers and could be relied on to push the clean cooking agenda forward.
The panel made the call at the closing event of the 2022 Clean Cooking Forum in Accra, organised by Clean Cooking Alliance(CAA) and its partners.
The Forum was to celebrate and discuss investment, innovation, and impact across the clean cooking ecosystem.
Ms Gathoni Kimani, Senior Associate, CAA, said the youth must be provided the space to operate in their bid to support the clean energy sector. “Even if you do not think we might know, we are there to learn.”
Ms Kimani said the youth had the energy and passion, and the introduction of clean energy was to protect their future, hence, an encouraging environment was required for them to share their ideas to support the sector.
Ms Fiona Wanjiku Moejes, Women for the Environment Fellow, underscored the need for the sector to be made attractive for the youth to pursue.
She recounted her experience with unclean fuel for cooking and discouraged its use.
Studies show that household air pollution which is driven largely by indoor cook stoves accounted for 700,000 fatalities, while increased outdoor air pollution claimed 400,00 lives.
In Ghana, the World Bank estimates that 16,000 people die prematurely from air pollution every year.
Mr Akil Callender, Youth Specialist Sustainable Energy for All, called for intensified awareness creation on the importance of clean cooking.
He appealed to Governments, individuals and investors to provide all the resources and knowledge to the youth to be successful in the sector.
Ms Mwayi Kampesi, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Planet Green Africa, encouraged the youth to “run” with ideas they had to solve societal problems.
Participants were drawn from all over the world, including government representatives, policy makers, investors, entrepreneurs and energy experts.
The 2022 Clean Cooking Women Leaders Awards were presented to Ms Rejoice Ntiriwaa Ossei- Bremang, Researcher and Lecturer, Cape Coast Technical University, Ghana, for Policy, Advocacy and Research.
Ms Patience Alifo, Co-Founder, EcoNexus Ventures, Ghana, won an award for Youth Leadership and Ms Kalinda Magloire, Co- Founder and Chief Executive Officer, SWITCH, Haiti, for Business Leadership and Entrepreneurship.
