Tech Entrepreneur Rick Parish backs King Charles’ Climate Vision, pledges action on energy inequality in Africa
Date: 2026-05-28
By: Nana Appiah Acquaye
Australian
tech entrepreneur and philanthropist Rick Parish has praised King Charles III’s
approach to climate change and sustainability, saying it has reinforced his
commitment to addressing energy inequality and household air pollution across
Africa and the wider Commonwealth.
Parish,
founder of Kinetic7 Technologies, said the King’s recent remarks on climate
action and sustainability align with his own efforts to expand access to clean
cooking energy solutions for vulnerable communities.
He
said his focus is on tackling what he described as a “humanitarian crisis of
energy inequality,” particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa, where many households
still rely on traditional biomass and inefficient cookstoves. According to
global health estimates cited in his remarks, household air pollution
contributes to millions of premature deaths annually and remains a major
environmental and public health challenge.
Parish
said his motivation for working in clean energy is also rooted in personal
experience and humanitarian work, including observations of the impact of
indoor air pollution on families, particularly women and children in rural
communities.
He
highlighted ongoing work on portable clean energy cooking solutions, including
hydrogen-based stove technologies designed to generate fuel on demand using
water and solar energy. He also referenced larger-scale applications such as
modular “carbon-free kitchen” systems intended for schools and humanitarian
settings.
The
entrepreneur said he aims to collaborate with international organisations and
development partners, including United Nations agencies, to scale clean cooking
solutions and reduce reliance on firewood, which he linked to deforestation,
health risks and environmental degradation.
Parish
added that expanded access to clean energy could significantly reduce health
risks associated with indoor air pollution while supporting broader climate
goals and sustainable development efforts across developing regions.
