Civil society urges increased funding for clean cooking gas
They say the move will reduce the country’s heavy reliance on charcoal and firewood, which are major drivers of deforestation and environmental degradation.
Civil Society leaders and members at the launch of the “Just Stop Cooking” campaign and report at Hotel Triangle in Kampala. (Photos by John Odyek)
By John Odyek
Journalists @New Vision
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Civil society leaders in Uganda have called for greater investment in liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) as a cleaner and more sustainable cooking fuel.
They say the move will reduce the country’s heavy reliance on charcoal and firewood, which are major drivers of deforestation and environmental degradation.
Uganda remains highly dependent on biomass for household energy needs, particularly for cooking. According to the energy ministry, 85% of households use firewood, especially in rural areas, while 13% rely on charcoal in urban settings.
This dependency is accelerating deforestation, with Uganda’s forest cover having declined from 20.4% in 1990 to just 9% in 2015. Although recent efforts have raised forest cover to 13.3%, the country remains vulnerable to further environmental losses.
Speaking at the launch of the “Just Stop Cooking” campaign at Hotel Triangle in Kampala on June 24, 2025, Patricia Nanteza, Africa Co-ordinator of WePlanet Africa, emphasized the urgent need for LPG financing.
“LPG is practical, scalable and life-saving. Yet, we are told it is a fossil fuel and should be restricted. That is not environmentalism it is a moral failure,” Nanteza said.
The campaign is a satirical but urgent appeal to lift restrictions on climate finance for clean cooking solutions like LPG. It argues that current policies hinder Africa’s ability to move away from harmful traditional fuels and instead deepen deforestation, health risks and gender inequality.
“While Europe expands LNG infrastructure, Africa is told to wait for non-viable alternatives. This is carbon colonialism: One rule for the rich, another for the poor,” Nanteza added.
Patricia Nanteza, Africa Coordinator of WePlanet Africa addressing the media and participants during the launch of the “Just Stop Cooking” campaign and report at Hotel Triangle in Kampala.
Environmental activists and development partners are increasingly pushing institutions such as the World Bank and IMF to stop financing fossil fuels. However, critics argue that blanket bans on all fossil fuel-related projects, including LPG, disproportionately hurt developing countries that rely on such transitional solutions to save lives and forests.
According to the African Development Bank, over 83% of people in sub-Saharan Africa, approximately 900 million depend on firewood and charcoal for cooking. This reliance leads to over 700,000 premature deaths annually due to indoor air pollution, particularly affecting women and children.
“Rapid transition to LPG in sub-Saharan Africa supports public health, gender equality, climate goals and environmental conservation,” Nanteza said.
A report titled Just Stop Cooking was launched during the event. In its foreword, Ghana’s minister of state for climate change and sustainability, Issifu Seidu, describes the campaign as “an urgent call for justice,” adding: “Denying concessional financing for LPG in the name of climate is a grave injustice. We must put saving lives before ideology.”
Dr Josephine Lubwama, the executive director of Develop Brains Uganda, highlighted the social impacts of traditional fuels.
“Girls in rural areas miss school to fetch firewood. Children inhale toxic smoke daily. LPG can restore childhood, reduce disease and lay the foundation for better education outcomes,” Lubwama said.
“We urge policymakers, donors and development banks to invest in LPG. Our children need clean air, time to learn and proper nutrition. Supporting clean cooking is the first step,” Lubwama added.
Robert Turyakira, the executive director of Green Health Network, noted that only 0.8% of households currently use LPG, but this can be scaled up with the right support.
“We want Ugandans to be part of the LPG ecosystem from production to distribution. Civil society must speak with one voice and demand funding at COP30 in Brazil,” Turyakira said.