World LP Gas Association to launch campaign to partner with developing world

“Cooking for Life” Aims to Combat Indoor Air Pollution and Save Lives.

      Paris, France and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: The World LP Gas Association (WLPGA) will roll out a five-year global campaign to reduce death and serious illnesses caused by lack of access to clean cooking fuels and stoves next week at the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. “Cooking for Life” envisions a partnership with governments, development agencies and NGOs in developing countries around the world. The campaign will target developing world countries, noting that nearly half the world’s population—three billion people— rely upon solid fuels for cooking, including dung, wood and agricultural residues, and are at risk for potentially fatal respiratory infection and other illnesses. By offering clean and efficient energy by switching to LP Gas, governments can make rapid progress in combating this public health hazard. “We believe our industry can make an immediate and important contribution to solving this avoidable cause of death and misery by teaming with governments, development agencies and NGO’s to create programmes that educate people on the dangers of indoor air pollution and reduce the reliance upon solid fuels for cooking,” said Michael Kelly, Deputy Managing Director for WLPGA .  “Solutions are possible on a large scale through this sort of collaboration.” According to the World Health Organization, burning biomass as cooking fuel accounts for more than two million deaths and 41 million serious diseases each year. In low-income countries, more than half of all lower respiratory infection deaths associated with indoor air pollution occur among children under the age of five. Indoor air pollution is to blame for more deaths each year than HIV/AIDs, malaria and tuberculosis combined, according to Kelly. A white paper prepared for the Association by leading health economists at the University of Pennsylvania, which will be released at the session, determines that indoor smoke from solid fuels is the tenth leading cause of avoidable deaths worldwide; it is second only to contaminated water as an environmental cause of death and disease. Apart from its health consequences, the use of biomass for cooking contributes significantly to pollution leading to climate change and has negative social consequences: women and children sent to search for fuel have little time left for school or income-generating activities. Kelly and Venkata Ramana Putti, from the World Bank, will also discuss the new working cooperation between “Cooking for Life” and the World Bank’s “Africa Clean Cooking Initiative” at an event in Rio de Janeiro on June 18.   “Cooking for Life” is a project of the World LP Gas Association. WLPGA is a partner in the Global Alliance for Clean Cook Stoves initiative led by the UN Foundation, which is part of the Sustainable Energy for All initiative. LP Gas is a clean-burning and efficient alternative fuel that can be transported virtually anywhere and is an ideal solution for areas where no grid infrastructure exists. “The global LP Gas industry is committed to working with governments, industry and civil society to make LP Gas accessible,” Kelly added.  Because it is clean-burning, LP Gas also helps to reduce particulate matter and black carbon or soot emissions, which are the second biggest contributor of global warming.  When substituted for wood fuels, it can also help reduce deforestation.  
About the World LP Gas Association The WLPGA is the global voice for the LP Gas industry.  Its members represent the entire LP Gas value chain.  The WLPGA unites the broad interests of the worldwide LP Gas industry into one strong independent organization.  For more details visit www.worldlpgas.com.
Contact
Bill Hamilton | bill@fenton.com | 202.789.7755
Alison Abbott | aabbott@worldlpgas.com | +33 6 37 18 11 47