Larissa Lockwood, Director of Policy & Campaigns at Global Action Plan: “Homes with gas stoves can have nitrogen dioxide levels up to 400% higher than those without – this is the same type of toxic air pollution that comes from car exhausts and is linked to a range of health conditions including lung and heart disease. Transitioning from gas to electric cooking across the UK is a win-win: it will benefit public health through improving indoor air quality, as well as reducing household emissions and energy use. Today we are launching a robust policy roadmap that demonstrates how the UK can transition from gas to electric cooking by 2035, in line with Government home decarbonisation commitments and Climate Change Committee recommendations. We urge policymakers to ensure that UK households are not left behind in the transition to cleaner, safer, and more efficient cooking methods.”

Nicole Kearney, CLASP Director, Europe said: “As governments across Europe move to decarbonise heating, gas cooking remains a blind spot, a neglected source of indoor air pollution that keeps homes locked into using fossil fuels. The solution to bridge these gaps and make cleaner, healthier, and more efficient electric cooking accessible to everyone is available and ready for implementation. The UK Government should seize this opportunity and set a powerful precedent by championing an equitable transition.”

Manchester MP Afzal Khan, host of the parliamentary event, said: “Air pollution from gas cooking is linked to a range of health problems including asthma, lung and heart disease. I’m pleased to see Manchester leading locally on the transition from gas to electric cooking in social housing and demonstrating the value of electric cooking as a solution to improve air quality, boost public health, cut emissions and reduce household energy bills in the long run. We need to see action on a national scale to ensure that cooking isn’t left out of home decarbonisation efforts. Global Action Plan’s new report provides a comprehensive pathway to transition to electric cooking across the UK, and I urge the Government to review the recommendations set out within it.”

Quarterly polling by Opinium for Global Action Plan of 2,000 British adults shows that public awareness of gas cooking pollution and concern over its health, safety and environmental impacts is relatively low but has been steadily rising for years.

Some 2% of UK carbon dioxide emissions come from cooking. Phasing-out gas hobs would cut the equivalent of all of Birmingham, Glasgow, Edinburgh and Sheffield’s greenhouse gas emissions combined, CLASP calculates. The government had planned to phase-out gas boilers by 2035, but has so far overlooked the need to transition away from fossil fuel cooking appliances.

Ends

Notes

[1] Burning gas in the kitchen produces levels of indoor air pollution that exceed legal outdoor limits. The World Health Organization daily limit value for nitrogen dioxide exposure was broken in about half (55%) of British homes using gas hobs and/or gas ovens measured under normal living conditions by a Dutch scientific institute. Pollution spikes lasted several hours and were more intense the longer the cooking time. No breaches in homes using electric appliances were recorded. The same institute estimated that 557,326 British children report asthma symptoms. Spanish scientists built on the Dutch research to estimate the number of premature deaths in the UK from gas cookers.

[2] Public awareness of the risks has been growing steadily and gas cooker sales are slowly declining. But they still make up around 40% of sales and gas hobs are installed in around half of all UK homes. Government polling in 2023 found that two thirds of those asked intend to replace their gas hobs. The Government recognises air pollution as the biggest environmental health risk in the UK. Cookers and heaters are the main sources of air pollution inside homes that use gas. Despite this, there is currently no legislation or policy framework in place to warn UK consumers about the risks or encourage a shift to cleaner alternatives. Unless that changes, GAP estimates that well over 1.5 million new gas hobs will be installed in this parliamentary term, based on existing sales data. Gas cookers tend to be used for around 19 years, experts say, prolonging exposure to indoor air pollution.

[3] Residents in ten Southway Housing Trust properties agreed to have their gas ovens and hobs replaced with induction hobs and electric ovens in early 2025. Some of the gas cookers had been installed decades earlier. Interviews were conducted with all ten households one week before the installation and with seven that remained in the pilot one week after the retrofit. Of these, five said the transition was very easy and one said it was easy. Before the switch, only one household thought induction was easy to use. The project was supported by Beko, B&Q and Electrolux.

Contacts

• Global Action Plan press office press@globalactionplan.org.uk
• CLASP Director, Europe Nicole Kearney (EN) +44 75 4486 5924
• CLASP Senior Communications Associate Païline Caroni (EN, FR) +32 473 127 674
• CLASP Communications Consultant Jack Hunter: jack@fthe.fr +33 7 54 54 35 48

Global Action Plan mobilises people and organisations to take action on the systems that harm us and our planet. We are an environmental charity focused on issues where the connection between the health of people and our planet is most tangible. Our current focus issues are air pollution, big tech, and the education system.

CLASP is the leading global authority on efficient appliances’ role in fighting climate change and improving people’s lives. An international NGO with 25 years of expertise and offices on four continents, CLASP collaborates with policymakers, industry leaders, and other experts to create a more sustainable future for people and the planet. CLASP and our partners are dedicated to solving the world’s most pressing, interconnected crises: the climate emergency, poverty, inequality, and access to energy.

In a landmark year for energy policy, India’s Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE), with support from CLASP, advanced 18 appliance efficiency regulations in 2024. This is a testimony to the country’s fast-paced policymaking and strong national commitment to appliance efficiency as a key lever for climate action and energy security.

Fast-paced policymaking to meet urgent needs

As India undergoes rapid urbanization and industrial growth, the demand for appliances is surging. Left unchecked, this growth could place immense pressure on the power grid and accelerate emissions. Recognizing this, the government prioritized improvements that directly address the rising energy demand from homes, commercial spaces, and industry.

18 new policies – large emissions cuts and cost savings

CLASP advocates for appliance efficiency which ensures that everyday products from refrigerators and fans to inverters and TVs consume less energy while delivering the same or better performance. This is critical in a country like India, where millions of households are purchasing new appliances for the first time. By using higher effiicency appliances, India is building a more resilient energy system, reducing energy bills for consumers, and cutting emissions at scale.

The cumulative effect of these 2024 policies is significant. By 2030, they are expected to save over 180 terawatt hours (TWh) of electricity and avoid nearly 146 megatons (Mt) of CO₂ emissions.

Standouts include policies covering:

• Packaged boilers, commercial beverage coolers, solar inverters, and refrigerant compressors, which are collectively estimated to save 32.2 terawatt-hours (TWh) of electricity and avoid 24 megatons (Mt) of CO₂ emissions.

• Ceiling fans, a widely used appliance that will now become more efficient, saving 35.9 terawatt-hours (TWh) of electricity and avoiding 29 megatons (Mt) of CO₂ emissions.

Full list of 2024 appliance policies:

• Room air conditioners (RAC) (fixed speed-split and window)

• RAC (cassette, floor standing)

• Inverter-room air conditioner

• Frost-free refrigerator

• Direct cool refrigerator

• Ceiling fan

• Color television

• Ultra High Definition (UHD) (4K) television

• Distribution transformer

• Deep freezer

• Light commercial air conditioner

• Storage water heater

• Commercial beverage cooler / visi-cooler

• Packaged boiler

• Solar inverter

• Refrigerant compressor

• LPG stove

• Microwave oven

Improving appliance efficiency across states

CLASP has also been working closely with the State Designated Agencies (SDAs) in Odisha and Kerala to support the implementation of India’s national appliance efficiency policies. By strengthening the adoption and enforcement of BEE’s Standards & Labeling program at the state level, CLASP is helping ensure that the benefits of energy-efficient appliances reach households and industries across these regions.

Aligning with CLASP’s global mission

Emissions reductions and energy savings not only bolster India’s energy security and climate goals but also resonate with CLASP’s global mission to advance appliance efficiency for people and the planet. By supporting national institutions like BEE in strengthening appliance efficiency policies, CLASP continues to catalyze transformative, long-lasting change.

Wesseler: What would it take to close this gap?

Wakoli: Well, we need more investment at all levels of solar appliances. We need to invest in people who can support the sector: students, researchers, manufacturers, distributors, maintenance people. Companies need money to build these appliances, to test business models, to scale. We also need money for governments to conduct awareness campaigns. People need to go into communities to let them know about these appliances and demonstrate how they work.

We also need more cross-disciplinary dialogue. Lifting people out of poverty requires more than electricity or appliances; the solution has to involve people who work in agriculture, environmental advocacy, etc. A practical example is solar water pumps, which make it easier for farmers to generate income. But productivity is not only a function of water; farmers also need good seeds, fertilizer, and good soil. So people outside the energy sector need to be involved as well.

Ultimately, we need to build a market that can exist without external support. Think of Coca-Cola. Soda is the one thing that is ubiquitous in every place I have been, even where people don’t have high incomes. Coca-Cola has figured out how to reach the last mile in countries like Kenya and India. The solar appliance sector needs to get to the same place.

Developing a self-sustaining market for solar appliances will require collaboration across governments, the private sector, and development partners. Governments need to prioritize solar appliances and other energy-efficient solutions as part of their national electrification strategies, and the appliance sector needs to build muscle in distribution and consumer awareness. What’s more, all these actors need to prioritize ensuring that solar appliances support increased productivity, driving up incomes for communities living below the poverty line.

Many critical pieces of this puzzle are currently missing. Right now, a lot of the money in the solar appliance sector comes from European governments as part of their international aid programs. But if we’re thinking about a sustainable solution for more than 50 countries and more than half a billion people, it cannot be contingent on well-wishers alone.

Interview edited and condensed.

At the UN Climate Change Conference in Baku, Azerbaijan (COP 29), UK Aid (FCDO) announced a substantial extension of their Modern Energy Cooking Services (MECS) program. This funding boost will help accelerate the adoption of clean cooking practices and transform the lives of millions of people across Africa, Indo-Pacific, and South and Southeast Asia. CLASP looks forward to continued collaboration with MECS to expand access to clean, modern cooking solutions.

Clean cooking: Good for people and planet 

The MECS programme is speeding-up the shift to clean cooking by driving research, testing new technologies, and tracking global tools and trends. It targets the 2.1 billion people—26% of the world’s population—who still rely on polluting fuels such as firewood and charcoal for their cooking. A transition to modern, clean cooking would help eliminate the harmful effect of these fuels on income, health, and the environment and have a profound social and economic impact on communities, especially on the women and children that bear the disproportionate burden of collecting fuel and preparing food.

MECS extension powers future impact  

The MECS extension builds on the six-year success of the MECS programme in advancing the clean cooking agenda globally. To date, the programme has helped 3.8 million people adopt cleaner, more efficient cooking practices that lower fuel use, improve air quality, and boost income. It has also attracted £400 million of additional investment for clean energy innovation and published over 300 research papers. This compelling evidence base has already informed the adoption in policy of electric cooking (e-Cooking) in Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania.

Aligning with the global goals  

The MECS programme budget will increase by £44 million, raising the total value to £99 million, and pushing its work to December 2030 to align with the target dates of the Sustainable Development Goals. This extension will enable the implementing partners to continue driving even more impactful clean cooking solutions. By 2030, MECS aims to improve clean cooking access for 10 million people, leverage £1 billion in investments, publish 650 research products, and influence policy adoption in 12 countries. The MECS extension is expected to have reach across 17 countries in Africa, Indo-Pacific, and South and Southeast Asia, where clean energy transitions are urgently needed.

About CLASP

CLASP is the leading global authority with 25 years’ expertise on how applianceefficiency drives climate mitigation, adaptation, and improves the lives and livelihoodsof people. An international non-profit with offices on four continents, CLASPcollaborates with policymakers, appliance manufacturers, and leading experts todeliver sound policy recommendations, innovative tools, ground-breaking research,and clear pathways to a more sustainable world for people and the planet.

This CLASP report presents insights from surveys of 8,000 demographically representative adults across eight European countries, France, Italy, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. The research provides valuable data for European policymakers on ways to accelerate the transition to cleaner, more efficient electric hobs (cooktops).

The report examines European consumers’ views and behaviours concerning gas and electric hobs, focusing on their usage, preferences, energy efficiency awareness, purchase criteria, health perceptions, ventilation practices, and opinions on potential policy measures.

Key Findings

• Most Europeans support a shift to cleaner, safer, and healthier electric cooking, but they need more exposure to induction technology to be fully convinced of its benefits.
• Supportive pricing and clear information are key factors in encouraging the transition to electric cooking, as consumers tend to prefer more energy-efficient and less polluting products.
• Consumers lack accurate information about the real efficiency of different hob technologies; their views are shaped by their personal experiences and familiarity with the hobs they use.
• Europeans have limited awareness of the impact gas cooking has on indoor air quality and often fail to ventilate adequately while cooking.
• Consumers feel that it’s the manufacturers’ responsibility to reduce pollution from gas hobs, and governments should help support the transition to more efficient and healthier electric cooking.

Recommendations

• Consumers should be able to select the most energy-efficient and least polluting hobs. Ecodesign regulations should remove the least efficient and most polluting options from the market. Clear information on the health risks of gas hobs should be made available through instruction manuals, webpages, or displayed on a future energy label or warning icon on hobs and ventilation hoods.
• National governments should offer incentives to encourage the shift to electric cooking and ensure that electricity prices are competitive with gas.
• Consumer organisations, non-governmental organisations, and forward-thinking producers and retailers should inform consumers about the health risks of gas cooking and the benefits of electric hobs. A successful transition to cleaner, more efficient electric hobs requires consumers to experience a new electric technology firsthand.

The surveys address technical, behavioural, and policy questions related to hob usage, which have been raised by policymakers, industry, and civil society. Detailed results for each country can be found in the annexes.

To ensure objectivity and representative results, CLASP commissioned Opinium Research, an independent polling organisation, to conduct the surveys. CLASP analysed the Europe-wide data and compiled this report, which builds on Opinium’s national analyses and findings.

Visit our Cook Cleaner Europe webpage to view additional resources on gas and electric cooking.

The shift to induction stoves is gaining momentum in professional kitchens around the world, as demonstrated at the Global Cooksafe Coalition’s (GCC) launch in the United Kingdom on 3 June 2024. CLASP participated in the event, along with world-renowned chefs, public health and climate experts, and industry leaders. There was consensus in the call for a rapid transition from fossil fuel powered cooking to healthier, affordable, and safer electric kitchens powered by renewable energy.

Key Takeaways from the Event

• Culinary excellence: Modern electric cooking technologies provide excellent cooking performance for both professional and home kitchens as they offer precise temperature control and the ability to heat food faster.
• Health and safety: Transitioning to electric cooking can significantly improve indoor air quality and reduce health risks associated with gas cooking. Electric cooking also creates safer cooking conditions, with more manageable room temperatures for chefs, compared to open flame stoves. This reduces heat-related stress and fatigue and leads to higher productivity and better physical and mental health.
• Environmental impact: Electrifying kitchens is a critical step in decarbonizing restaurants and homes, lowering climate emissions, and achieving global climate targets.
• Economic viability: Electric stoves are much easier to clean than gas stoves, saving restaurant staff hours each week. In addition, renewable energy combined with electric appliances offers a cost-effective and stable energy solution, reducing dependency on volatile fossil fuel markets.

Top UK Chefs Embrace Electric Cooking

During the event, professional chefs and GCC ambassadors, John Chantarasak and Chantelle Nicholson, along with Chef Douglas McMaster, highlighted the advantages of electric cooking. They demonstrated how modern induction stoves offer precise control and superior cooking quality, dispelling common misconceptions about electric cooking’s limitations.

The Future is Electric

Chefs around the world are increasingly embracing electric alternatives like induction, making it a compelling option for households as well. Innovations in electric cooking technologies cater to all varieties of culinary needs.

By using electromagnetic energy to directly heat cookware, induction stoves produce less ambient heat, creating a safer, healthier, and more comfortable work environment, particularly during busy restaurant shifts. The absence of open flames on electric or induction stoves also reduces the risk of accidental fires and eliminates pollutants caused by burning gas.

Reducing Risks for Healthier Homes

Electrifying kitchens is a solution to growing health concerns. Cooking with gas releases toxic pollutants, such as nitrogen dioxide and benzene, into kitchens and homes. It puts people at greater risk of respiratory diseases like asthma, particularly for vulnerable groups such as children or those with pre-existing health conditions. There is growing evidence linking combustion-related air pollution with adverse health effects on brain development in young children. For adults, emissions from gas cooking can lead to negative impacts on the brain, respiratory, and nervous systems.

Transitioning to electric appliances and ensuring proper ventilation can help lower the risks of gas cooking. For people who cannot adopt electric options, there are several ways to minimize exposure to gas cooking emissions. Find out how to improve the air quality in your home when you use a gas stove or oven.

About the Global Cooksafe Coalition

As a founding member of the GCC, CLASP supports the coalition’s mission by researching cleaner, more efficient electric alternatives while also addressing the health and environmental impacts of cooking with gas. Together, CLASP and GCC work for a healthier and more sustainable future for all.

More information about CLASP’s research on gas and electric cooking: www.clasp.ngo/cook-cleaner-europe

For more information about the GCC’s launch in the United Kingdom: www.cooksafecoalition.org/grosvenor-lendlease-electric

CLASP is collaborating with partner organizations and policymakers around the world to address the health and environmental impacts associated with open-flame cooking appliances, and increase the uptake of electric cooking.

CLASP research shows that gas and solid fuel stoves produce a cocktail of air pollutants within homes, posing significant risks to respiratory systems. These pollutants impact people and children with asthma more notably. However, the solutions already exist: transitioning to electric cooking appliances. Replacing open-flame stoves with cleaner, energy-efficient electric alternatives remains the healthiest and safest option available.

Addressing Gas Cooking

Cooking with gas emits a cocktail of pollutants, one of them, nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), is formed when gas flames react with oxygen in the air. A recent CLASP study conducted in Europe found that levels of NO₂ in households with gas cooking appliances often exceed WHO air quality guidelines. In fact, indoor air quality, particularly in gas-cooking households, can often be poorer than outdoor air quality.

CLASP is working with the European Commission to introduce NO₂ limits into the Ecodesign standards that govern cooking appliances. More information on CLASP’s research and recommendations on gas and electric cooking in Europe can be found here.

Tackling Solid Fuel Cooking

In regions like Africa and South East Asia, millions rely on burning solid fuels, like coal, firewood, and biomass for cooking. This has significant health consequences.

“The evidence is clear: transitioning to electric cooking is a vital step towards protecting respiratory health and reducing air pollution. CLASP is fostering healthier homes and communities worldwide by promoting cleaner, safer, and more sustainable, energy-efficient cooking appliances, to make a tangible improvement on people’s lives.” Sam Grant, Senior Director of Clean Energy Access at CLASP

To mitigate the air pollution caused by cooking methods in Rwanda and Uganda, CLASP is encouraging the widespread adoption of affordable electric pressure cookers. In India, CLASP promotes the adoption of efficient induction cookstoves, as a cleaner alternative to traditional solid fuel cooking appliances.

Understanding the Respiratory Risks

Air pollution stands among the World Health Organization’s (WHO) top ten global health concerns. The WHO considers NO₂ a dangerous air pollutant that can cause serious respiratory problems, including, “…bronchoconstriction, increased bronchial reactivity, air way inflammation and decrease in immune defense leading to increased susceptibility to respiratory infection.”

Those already suffering from asthma symptoms are particularly sensitive to the pollutants emitted by gas and solid fuel cooking appliances.

“Electric cooking is not just about preparing meals: it is about safeguarding our health. NO₂ exposure, brief or prolonged, harms respiratory health. Studies indicate that switching to electric cooking could prevent as many as 700,000 children in Europe from developing asthma, making up 12% of all cases. Recognizing these risks, EPHA is mobilizing the public health community and advocating for policy changes that promote electric cooking, safeguard respiratory health, and ensure a healthier future for all.” Sara Bertucci, Policy Manager at the European Public Health Alliance

Clean Cooking Solutions

Both health and air quality experts recommend accelerating the transition to electric cooking. To minimize exposure to cooking pollutants, effective ventilation practices can be beneficial, but the ultimate solution is adopting plug-in electric appliances. Governments have a pivotal role to play by enforcing stricter appliance standards and incentivizing the widespread and equitable adoption of electric cooking appliances. Manufacturers and healthcare professionals should also inform people about the indoor air pollution linked with gas and solid fuel cooking appliances, as well as possible alternatives.

Collective action from policymakers, manufacturers, and healthcare professionals can ensure significant progress is made in reducing people’s exposure to cooking emissions and promoting respiratory health.

Although improved access to modern, energy-efficient cooking appliances offers substantial health, economic, gender, and quality of life benefits, many small businesses in this sector still face market challenges. CLASP, in partnership with GIZ Uganda, the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO), and the European Union (EU), wants to change this. Together, they will disburse $230,000 USD in subsidies to support seven small and medium businesses selling a range of electric cooking and higher-tier biomass stoves in Uganda.

Strengthening Supply for Local Businesses

This initiative, called the Higher Tier Cooking Component (HTCC) Uganda, aims to strengthen the supply side of the clean cooking sector. It works by providing procurement subsidies that the companies use to scale their business operations and increase their customer base. In turn, this will increase the affordability of higher-tier cookstoves in Uganda.

Financing for Clean Cooking Outcomes

Through the program, CLASP and its partners aim to enhance the affordability of clean cooking appliances, reduce indoor air pollution, and highlight the energy and cost savings that stem from clean cooking. The ultimate goal is to increase the adoption of more efficient clean cooking appliances for households and small businesses across Uganda.

“CLASP is optimistic that our support will enable the selected companies to ramp up their e-cooking sales,” commented Sam Grant, Senior Director of Clean Energy Access at CLASP. “Similar to other initiatives focusing on clean cooking for this market, we are keen to see the number of Ugandans with access to clean cooking rise far above the current 5% of the population.”

The selected companies are expected to cumulatively sell over 12,000 electric pressure cookers and higher-tier biomass stoves. This will enable access to high-quality, low-emissions, and energy-efficient cooking technologies for more than 60,000 end-users between April 2024 and March 2025.

The HTCC Uganda project received 17 applications from clean cooking technology companies operating in Uganda during the public auction window. The total subsidy ask exceeded $2.19 million for 157,756 units of clean cooking products, highlighting the significant demand and potential impact of the program.

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About the Higher-Tier Cooking Component (HTCC) Results-based Financing Program

The HTCC Uganda RBF is administered by CLASP in partnership with the German Development Agency (GIZ) with support from the Netherlands Enterprise Agency. The HTCC is part of the multi-country Strengthening the Entrepreneurial Ecosystem for the Clean Cooking (SEE-CC) program commissioned by the Netherlands Enterprise Agency and implemented in partnership with EnDev. SEE-CC supports small and medium-sized enterprises in Uganda to enhance their business operations, access finance for upscaling, and drive innovation in the clean cooking sector.

For any questions on the Higher-Tier Cooking Component program, please get in touch with financing@clasp.ngo.

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