From Firewood to the Future: Ethiopia’s Clean Cooking Roadmap Charts a Bold Path to 2035

As of 2024, less than 10%* of Ethiopia’s population has access to clean cooking solutions—far below the global average. 

This gap has serious and far-reaching consequences. Most households still rely on traditional cooking fuels such as firewood, charcoal, and animal dung, which pose significant health, gender, environmental, and economic challenges.

Indoor air pollution from these fuels causes premature deaths, particularly among women and children. Women also spend many hours collecting firewood, exposing them to health risks and gender-based violence. 

Environmentally, this practice contributes to deforestation, CO₂ emissions, and soil degradation. Economically, the cost of inaction outweighs the cost of intervention.

To address this, Ethiopia has launched a Clean Cooking Roadmap to increase access to clean cooking solutions to 75% by 2035. This ambitious but achievable target aims to save lives, protect the environment, and support national development.

Despite previous efforts, Ethiopia’s clean cooking sector has struggled due to fragmented initiatives, limited financing, and the absence of a national framework. While various strategies and projects exist, they lack coordination and a unified direction. 

Historically, cookstove initiatives have received only a fraction of the investmentallocated to electricity infrastructure. Without a comprehensive, costed, and time-bound plan, scaling clean cooking solutions has remained slow and unsustainable.

The Solution: A National Roadmap

The newly launched National Clean Cooking Roadmap (2026–2035) is designed to address these systemic challenges. It is evidence-based and costed, built on data, modelling, and community assessments to ensure that interventions are tailored to local needs, cooking habits, and realities.

With clear milestones and targets, the roadmap charts a path toward achieving 75% access by 2035. It aligns with Sustainable Development Goal 7 (SDG 7), Ethiopia’s climate commitments, and the 10-year development plan. It also integrates clean cooking with electrification, gender inclusion, and climate finance.

According to the Investment Plan of the National Clean Cooking Roadmap, Ethiopia will require $3.38 billion through 2035 to meet its targets. Funding will come from a mix of grants, carbon credits, concessional loans, government contributions, and private sector investment.

Who Is Involved

Government leadership is central to the roadmap’s success, with the Ministry of Water and Energy (MoWE) leading the process. 

The roadmap brings together private sector actors and entrepreneurs, encouraging them to innovate and scale clean cooking technologies. These efforts are supported through business development assistance and access to finance.

Development partners are also playing a key role by providing technical and financial support, including results-based financing and grants. 

A newly established National Clean Cooking Coordination Unit will harmonize efforts across government ministries, NGOs, civil society, development partners, academia, and the private sector.

UNDP’s Role

Although the roadmap is government-led, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) plays a catalytic role.

UNDP provides technical and analytical support, including value chain analysis, modeling, and target-setting to ensure that interventions are both effective and scalable.

UNDP also helps convene stakeholders by supporting platforms for collaboration among government, civil society, and the private sector. This strengthens coordination and alignment. Importantly, UNDP’s involvement reinforces government ownership and builds national capacity for long-term sustainability.

The Vision Ahead

With the right actions and investments, the roadmap can significantly expand access to clean cooking. This will:

• Reduce the burden on women
• Improve public health
• Create economic opportunities
• Lower emissions
• Protect forests
• Enhance climate resilience

Now is the time for government, communities, and partners to come together and turn this vision into reality. The roadmap provides a clear direction—but achieving its goals will require collective commitment and sustained effort.