Roberta Annan has been appointed patron, mentor and advisory consultant for the Green Planet Foundation. Her skill, knowledge and experience is instrumental in helping the Foundation realise its energy poverty and air quality outcomes.

1.5 billion people do not have access to electricity. This means they rely on biomass, such as, wood, charcoal and dung for cooking and heating purposes. The Green Planet Foundation has termed this “energy poverty”. The ramifications are far reaching. Instead of going to school, young people have to spend hours collecting firewood to heat their homes and cook. Using wood, charcoal and dung in the homes is dangerous to the health causing chronic respiratory problems, and is also a fire hazard.

According to the Green Planet Foundation, the number of deaths from this kind of indoor air pollution currently kills more people each year than malaria and tuberculosis. By 2030, the number of premature deaths from household air pollution will be more than the combined total of deaths from HIV/AIDS, malaria or tuberculosis.

Read more about Roberta’s work with the Green Planet Foundation here