Scenarios for Adoption of Low-Carbon Household Cooking Fuels in Biomass-Dependent Informal Settlements of Urban Sub-Saharan Africa: A Critical Analysis of Kisumu City
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Date
2024-01
Authors
Okore, Luther
Koske, James
Letema, Sammy
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
EANSO
Abstract
The use of unclean cooking fuels is widespread in urban informal settlements
in Africa, while the adoption of clean fuels is largely done by stacking with
traditional biomass fuels. Rapid urbanisation has aggravated the situation
since it hampers effective planning for climate action and the provision of
clean and affordable cooking fuels. It is, therefore, essential to deploy
effective household carbon emissions (HCE) reduction strategies that are
cognizant of the fuel use patterns and household dynamics of households in
urban informal settlements. This study highlights the status of HCE in Kisumu
City’s informal settlements and subsequently explores possible pathways for
reducing emissions through the adoption of low-carbon cooking fuels. The
paper features existing and plausible emissions scenarios in the informal
settlements of Kisumu City. The study adopts a descriptive correlation
research design targeting a sample 419 households drawn from seven informal
settlements of Kisumu City. Binary logistic regression is used to establish the
relationships that exist between household characteristics and the adoption of
clean fuels. Multiple linear regression analysis reveals existing and probable
emission pathways, informed by varying household characteristics and
adjusting fuel-stacking scenarios. Household income has a positive correlation
with adoption of clean fuel combinations (p<0.01), while household size does
not have a significant relationship with adoption of clean fuels. The annual
HCE attributable to cooking in Kisumu City’s informal settlements is 976
KgCO2. Fuel stacking nuances are vital considerations in choosing practical
emission reduction pathways for these households. Emission reduction
scenario that contemplates transitioning households that use charcoal in their
fuel stacks to using LPG has the highest emission reduction potential of 72%.
Although an emission scenario that includes LPG in the fuel mix of
households that do not use it has an emission reduction potential of just 9%, it
is the most realistic option since it accommodates the phenomenon of fuel
stacking.
Description
Article
Keywords
Informal Settlements, Household Carbon Emissions, Clean Fuels, Emission Reduction Scenarios, Climate Action, Fuel Stacking
Citation
Okore, L., Koske, J., & Letema, S. (2024). Scenarios for Adoption of Low-Carbon Household Cooking Fuels in Biomass-Dependent Informal Settlements of Urban Sub-Saharan Africa: A Critical Analysis of Kisumu City. East African Journal of Environment and Natural Resources, 7(1), 28-48. https://doi.org/10.37284/eajenr.7.1.1704