Mohamad Hejazi is the executive director for the Climate and Sustainability Program at KAPSARC. He also leads the Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation Partnership (CAMP) project, and his work focuses on climate change research, climate impacts and adaptation, climate mitigation, integrated assessment modeling, and energy-water-land nexus. Prior to joining KAPSARC, Mohamad worked as a senior research scientist at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, where he served as the principal investigator for the Global Change Intersectoral Modeling System project, a multi-million-dollar project that includes over 40 interdisciplinary researchers across many institutions. He has also led and contributed to projects with the World Bank, Inter-American Development Bank, US-AID, US-EPA, USGS, NASA, and NSF-INFEWS. Mohamad has authored over 100 journal publications, and he has also served as a contributing author to the Fourth U.S. National Climate Assessment, and the AR6 IPCC WG III report on the mitigation of climate change. Mohamad holds a B.S. and M.S. from the University of Maryland, College Park, and a Ph.D. from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.

Progress and Gaps in the Adoption of Clean Cooking Fuels in Africa – Policy Options for Ghana and Kenya
Access to clean cooking fuels is vital for public health, environmental sustainability, and socio-economic development in sub-Saharan Africa. This study examines the key barriers to adopting clean cooking fuels in Ghana and Kenya, asking. Despite progress in urban areas toward liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and electricity, rural households remain reliant on biomass fuels like wood and charcoal, leading to indoor air pollution and environmental harm. This dependence imposes significant costs, estimated at $18 billion annually in Ghana and $39 billion in Kenya. To address these challenges, targeted policy interventions—such as expanding LPG infrastructure, providing financial subsidies, and implementing culturally sensitive awareness campaigns—are essential. This study enhances understanding of Africa’s energy transition by highlighting the socio-economic and cultural dimensions of clean cooking adoption, supporting efforts for equitable access to sustainable energy solutions.
13th March 2025