The Alliance, initiative launched in 2010 by former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, seeks to foster the adoption of clean cookstoves and fuels in 100 million households globally by 2020.
Clean cookstoves represent an ideal alternative to open fire stoves which cause household air pollution (HAP) that claims the lives of 2 million people annually, and leaves millions more suffering from cancer, pneumonia, heart and lung disease. In addition to these illnesses resulting from HAP, rudimentary cookstoves contribute to deforestation and diminish local air quality through toxic smoke emissions.
Cemex has been working during the last three years in the clean cookstoves field, developing and providing sustainable solutions for the bottom of the pyramid in alliance with governments, social entrepreneurs, universities and NGOs.
“By joining the Alliance, CEMEX will foster the adoption of cookstoves in Latin America and Asia, strengthening our ongoing CSR efforts in these regions and contributing to the well-being of their communities,” says Lorenzo H. Zambrano, Cemex’s chairman and CEO.
“Cooking shouldn't kill, and the Global Alliance for Clean Cookstoves is working to ensure that it doesn't in part by building bridges between the public and private sectors to make the basic but essential act of cooking safe and healthy worldwide,” says Radha Muthiah, alliance executive director. “I very much welcome Cemex’s partnership with the Alliance. Their expertise will contribute to the accomplishment of our objectives.”
