According to the IEA, energy efficiency has already generated major benefits across industries, households, and economies, boosting competitiveness and energy security. In 2023, energy demand in IEA countries would have been more than 20% greater if not for the contributions of energy efficiency.¹

Throughout the conference, there was strong consensus: we know what needs to be done, and now is the time to act — efficiency must come first. As global momentum grows, CLASP will continue collaborating with key partners like the IEA, across sectors and borders, to put energy efficiency at the forefront of solving the world’s most pressing challenges.

Energy efficient appliances, lighting and equipment are at the intersection of energy security, energy affordability, economic opportunity, and climate action. Our CLASP research shows that driving the widespread adoption of efficient appliances is a key tool to slash climate-warming emissions and improving the health, economic wellbeing, and livelihoods of billions of people, including those in the most climate vulnerable regions.

From 21-29 June, CLASP is bringing Global South-led efficient appliance solutions to London Climate Action Week, exploring how scaling a range of interventions like financing, nationally determined contributions, and more can foster meaningful progress in the fight for people and the planet.

For questions or additional speaking opportunities, please contact Alexia Ross (aross@clasp.ngo)

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.

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

Despite advancements in electric cooking technologies, millions of households across Europe still rely on gas for cooking. Gas cooking appliances contribute to high levels of indoor air pollution and pose substantial health, environmental, and economic challenges.

CLASP’s has produced incisive factsheets on gas cooking trends in six countries. These provide insights and policy recommendations, covering consumer trends, as well as health, environmental, and cost concerns in these countries:

• France
• Italy
• Romania
• Slovakia
• Spain
• United Kingdom

The Risks and the Solutions

CLASP’s research reveals elevated levels of NO₂ in homes using gas stoves and ovens compared to those using electric alternatives. These levels exceed benchmarks set by World Health Organization guidelines and European Union (EU) and United Kingdom (UK) limits for outdoor air pollution.

• Health Impacts: Exposure to high levels of pollution is known to cause strokes, heart disease, lung cancer, and both chronic and acute respiratory diseases, including asthma.
• Climate Change: Gas cooking contradicts net-zero and emissions reduction targets, highlighting the need to transition to electric alternatives. The reliance on fossil fuels for domestic cooking contributes to indoor air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions, undermining efforts to mitigate the impacts of climate change.
• Consumer Trends: Despite health and environmental concerns, many consumers remain unaware of the risks of gas cooking.
• Cost Considerations: Gas cooking masks significant societal costs. While gas appliances may offer initial cost savings in some cases, the hidden costs associated with indoor air pollution, such as healthcare expenses and environmental impacts, outweigh any apparent economic benefits.
• Policy Recommendations and Regulatory Measures: In the EU and the UK, Ecodesign and Energy Labelling policies provide opportunities to advance energy-efficient and healthier electric alternatives. At the national level, governments can accelerate the transition to electric cooking through electricity tariff reforms, targeted subsidies, awareness campaigns, and holistic support. Incentives and financial assistance programs can encourage households to adopt electric cooking technologies, facilitating a shift towards cleaner and more sustainable cooking practices.

For more information on the topic, visit https://www.clasp.ngo/cook-cleaner-europe/.

The use of fossil gas in cooking must be phased out to meet net zero targets in the European Union (EU) and the United Kingdom (UK). Research shows that gas hobs emit harmful pollutants and are less efficient than electric hobs, although public awareness of these issues is low.

Upcoming policy revisions by the European Commission and the UK government offer an opportunity to address these challenges. However, the research available to policymakers does not consider differences in emissions and efficiency between appliance types, potentially leading to a lack of understanding of the costs and benefits associated with transitioning to electric hobs.

To address this knowledge gap, this report provides an overview of the total cost of ownership for gas and electric hobs in the EU and UK. The analysis assumes that these appliances are purchased and installed in 2026.

Findings include:

• Contrary to the perception of gas hobs being cheaper, electric hobs are more cost-effective in a few European countries, particularly in the Netherlands, Portugal, and Sweden.
• All three electric hob technologies (hotplates, induction, and infrared) offer lower total costs of ownership than gas hobs, on average.
• The average purchase price of induction hobs remains higher compared to other technologies, but moderate government incentives can make induction hobs affordable to more households.
• In the UK, hotplates are the most affordable option. However, the total ownership costs of all three electric hob technologies are quite similar and significantly lower than gas hobs.
• Price fluctuations may impact the total cost of ownership over time.