Clean cooking needs more than better stoves
Nearly two billion people may still lack access to clean cooking by 2030. A new international study led by KTH researcher Francesco Fuso Nerini argues that faster progress will require more than improved cooking technologies and proposes a new research agenda to accelerate the global transition.
What does cooking have to do with climate change, health and gender equality? Access to clean cooking is essential for improving health, protecting the environment, and achieving several of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Yet progress remains slow. Despite recent gains, nearly 1.8 billion people could still lack access to clean cooking by 2030, with the largest gaps in Sub-Saharan Africa.
A new international paper led by KTH’s Francesco Fuso-Nerini reflects on the slow global progress towards universal access to clean cooking, and proposes a research agenda to speed up the achievement of clean cooking for all.
Premature deaths
Reliance on polluting fuels for cooking continues to have serious consequences. Household air pollution causes millions of premature deaths every year and disproportionately affects women and children. Traditional cooking methods also contribute to deforestation, climate change, and lost economic opportunities.
“Access to clean cooking has been historically underprioritized and under-researched. While that trend is changing, there is still a lot to do. Research can help clean cooking for all by aiding technology innovation, affordability, behaviour, governance and how clean cooking fits into broader energy and development strategies”, says Fuso-Nerini.
In the article, the researchers outline a research agenda to accelerate clean cooking transitions worldwide. Key priorities include advancing modern cooking technologies, developing more inclusive and effective planning tools, better assessing costs and co-benefits, and strengthening the understanding of policy and political economy factors.
“Interdisciplinary collaboration will be essential. Integrating clean cooking into educational systems, engaging with local knowledge, and promoting open science approaches could help develop solutions tailored to diverse regional contexts”, says Fuso-Nerini.
Text: Anna Gullers
Read more in the publication A research agenda to support the achievement of clean cooking for all: https://www.cell.com/joule/fulltext/S2542-4351(26)00066-8