41% in India still rely on biomass for cooking, emitting 340 million tonnes of CO2 annually, says report

A new report reveals that 41% of the Indian population still relies on biomass for cooking, emitting 340 million tonnes of CO2 annually. The study, titled "India's Transition to E-cooking" by the Centre for Science and Environment, highlights that the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana has not ensured a sustained transition to clean cooking. Globally, 2.4 billion people lack access to clean cooking solutions, resulting in significant damage to the economy, public health, and the environment. Indoor air pollution from wood-based cooking causes about 3 million premature deaths annually, with 0.6 million in India.