Can solar cooking save the forests?

Cooking with the sun has become a potentially viable substitute for fuelwood in food preparation in much of the developing world. Fuelwood scarcity is a growing problem that has thus far been poorly addressed. Solar cooking is one possible solution but its acceptance has been limited partially due to cultural barriers, relatively high start-up costs, and a lack of continued support subsequent to introduction. One possible source of some funding for solar cookers may be the Clean Development Mechanism (Article 12 of the Kyoto Protocols) aimed at reducing carbon emissions to curtail the impact of global warming. Using Haiti as an example, CDM funding is shown to be promising but only a partial solution. With CDM as a possible source of at least seed capital, more ambitious solar cooking programs are feasible but their success will be a function of addressing cultural barriers and providing support for adaptation well beyond the introductory stage. © 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.