For information only - not an official document
UNIS/OUS/213
2 October 2013
In 2013, 40% of the world's population use firewood, charcoal and kerosene to cook their meals and heat their homes. This results in the premature death of four million people each year from associated indoor air pollution. This is more than the annual deaths caused by malaria, HIV aids and Tuberculosis combined.
LONDON/VIENNA, 2 October 2013 (Sustainable Energy for All Initiative) - During the 26th World LP Gas Forum in London, SE4All and the WLPGA committed to develop LP Gas cooking and heating solutions that will tackle the catastrophic health, safety and environmental damages caused by traditional cooking practices: smoke, fumes and emissions that cause indoor pollution and are equal to smoking 400 cigarettes a day.
To secure LP Gas usage by 1 billion people by 2030, SE4All and the WLPGA agreed to engage in a multi-stakeholder partnership that will build on best practices and sustainable business models in order to overcome the multitude of policy, market regulation, business environment and local financing bottlenecks inhibiting the ability of governments and the private sector to meet the need for LP Gas.
This agreement is in support of the Sustainable Energy for All (SE4ALL) Initiative. Launched in September 2011 by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, SE4All, encourages Public-Private Partnerships to achieve three objectives by 2030: i) universal access to modern energy services, including access to clean cooking fuels and equipment; ii) the doubling of the share of renewable energy in the global energy mix and iii) the doubling of the rate of improvement in energy efficiency worldwide.
To achieve the needed clean cooking objectives by 2030, the International Energy Agency estimated that 1.2 billion people will need to transition to LP Gas, a cleaner burning, more efficient, safer, healthier cooking fuel. With the right infrastructure, supply chains, financing and policy frameworks, LP Gas can be the affordable, healthy option that can replace the traditional fuels currently used by three billion people globally today.
Recognizing these possibilities, in 2012, the WLPGA launched the "Cooking For Life" campaign to communicate the health benefits of switching communities from wood, charcoal, dung and other traditional fuels to LP Gas for cooking.
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Background Note
The Sustainable Energy for All (SE4ALL) Initiative has engaged more than 70 governments from around the world, securing public and private commitments at the UN Rio+20 Conference that exceed US$50 Billion. It is a multi-stakeholder partnership working with business, civil society, governments and international institutions to promote public private partnerships that will induce significant changes in order to reach its three objectives. The Special Representative of the Secretary General (SRSG) and CEO of the partnership, Dr. Kandeh Yumkella, leads this global effort and is supported by a Global Facilitation Team in Vienna and New York. SE4All is guided by a multi-stakeholder Advisory Board, co-chaired by the President of the World Bank and the UN Secretary General. Website: www.sustainableenergyforall.org
The World LP Gas Association (WLPGA) is the authoritative voice for the global LP Gas industry with over 200 members in 125 countries. The Association unites private and public companies involved in several or all industry activities, develops long-term partnerships with international organizations and implements projects on local and global scales. The Association was established in 1987 and granted Special Consultative Status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council in 1989.
The Association's multi-faceted mission is to demonstrate the benefits of LP Gas, inform, educate and influence global stakeholders; support the development of LP Gas markets; promote compliance with standards, good business and safety practices, and identify innovation and facilitate knowledge transfer. Website: www.worldlpgas.com
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For further information, please contact:
Anthony
Kamara
Advocacy & Communications Coordinator,
Sustainable Energy for All Initiative (SE4ALL)
Mobile: (+43-699) -1458-3402
Email: A.Kamara[at]SE4ALL.org
Michael
Kelly
Deputy Managing Director
World LP Gas Association (WLPGA)
Telephone: (+33-1) 7899 1330
Email: mkelly[at]worldlpgas.com
