A new report by the International Renewable Energy Agency highlights the scale and challenges of tracking financial support for clean cooking across 100 access-deficit countries. Drawing on surveys conducted between 2022 and 2024 and data from the OECD Development Assistance Committee database, the report provides fresh insights into investment trends in the Global South.
The findings show that clean cooking investments vary widely depending on the methodology used. Proven public investment stands at approximately $400 million, based on verified data from 32 countries. When extrapolated across all 100 countries, the probable estimate rises to around $1.3 billion. A broader analysis of development finance data suggests that total possible investment could be as high as $2.8 billion, reflecting funding streams where clean cooking components are not always clearly identified.
Domestic public budgets account for the vast majority of confirmed funding, contributing about 96 percent of the proven investment. National governments remain the primary drivers of clean cooking initiatives, with two-thirds of funding coming directly from domestic budgets. Liquefied petroleum gas infrastructure dominates spending, receiving about 65 percent of investments, followed by improved biomass cookstoves at 32 percent.
Despite this strong domestic contribution, governments across the Global South emphasize the need for greater international financial support. External funding sources such as grants and concessional loans are viewed as essential to achieving universal access to clean cooking. Many countries see stable and forward-looking national policies as key to attracting foreign direct investment, with over one-third of surveyed governments identifying policy certainty as a major factor in mobilizing private sector participation.
Concessional finance, in particular, is considered a critical enabler for scaling clean cooking solutions. By reducing investment risks, such financing can help unlock additional private capital and accelerate progress toward energy access goals.
The report also identifies significant challenges in tracking clean cooking investments. These include unclear definitions of what constitutes clean cooking finance, the wide range of stakeholders involved, and inconsistent data collection methods. To address these issues, IRENA recommends improving survey design, expanding data sources, and encouraging the use of standardized definitions across international financial institutions.
Overall, the findings underline both the progress made and the gaps that remain in financing clean cooking solutions. Strengthening data systems and increasing coordinated investment efforts will be crucial for ensuring that more households in the Global South gain access to clean, safe, and affordable cooking technologies.
