IEA at COP29: Maximising the Health Co-Benefits of Clean Energy Policies

As our energy systems undergo significant structural transformations, international stakeholders must seize the opportunity to ensure clean energy transitions bring maximum health and socio-economic benefits to all. Millions of people still lack access to affordable, clean energy, and 2.3 billion people do not have access to clean cooking technologies, disproportionately affecting women and children’s health, especially in low-income communities. Building on the work of the IEA's Global Commission on People-Centred Clean Energy Transitions: Designing for Fairness, this side event -- co-organised with the Wellcome Trust -- will explore how clean energy policies can be leveraged to provide direct health benefits, such as improved air quality, reduced respiratory illnesses, improved mental health and enhanced overall well-being. It will examine how a number of clean energy solutions, including energy efficiency improvements, solar-powered water systems and clean transportation, can address health challenges for vulnerable populations across the globe.