Summit Seeks to Phase Out Killer Cooking Practices, Save 3.7M Lives Annually
The Facts
Representatives from 50 nations are preparing to take part in the Summit on Clean Cooking in Africa on Tuesday in Paris, which aims to reduce premature deaths by devising methods to address the issues of pollutants and global warming.
The International Energy Agency (IEA)-led summit will look into the effects of the use of wood, animal dung, and agricultural residues in cooking by nearly a billion people in Africa.
The Spin
Narrative A
The average westerner produces hundreds of times more in emissions than individuals in developing countries such as Somalia or Ethiopia, but beyond hand-wringing over how much international aid is affordable, richer nations are taking limited action in a crisis that is largely their doing. This climate hypocrisy must stop if we are ever going to meet our climate and sustainability goals.
Narrative B
It's true that Western economies are responsible for the vast majority of global emissions, while the Global South suffers their impacts. But it is crucial that the developing world forces change by leveraging the resources and labor crucial to all economies. By redirecting these resources to meet local needs, governments in Africa could shift to a more self-reliant and equitable economic model, which in turn could raise living standards and benefit the environment.
