Scaling up gas and electric cooking in low- and middle-income countries: climate threat or mitigation strategy with co-benefits?. (14th February 2023)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Floess, Emily; Grieshop, Andrew; Puzzolo, Elisa; Pope, Dan; Leach, Nicholas; Smith, Christopher J; Gill-Wiehl, Annelise; Landesman, Katherine; Bailis, Rob
• Is Part Of: Environmental research letters. Volume 18:Number 3(2023)
• Publication Date: 2023-02-14
• Subjects: clean cooking -- LPG -- energy transitions -- climate impacts -- short-lived climate forcers; Environmental sciences -- Periodicals; Human ecology -- Research -- Periodicals; Environmental health -- Periodicals; 333.7
• DOI: 10.1088/1748-9326/acb501
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1748-9326

Abstract

Abstract: Nearly three billion people in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) rely on polluting fuels, resulting in millions of avoidable deaths annually. Polluting fuels also emit short-lived climate forcers (SLCFs) and greenhouse gases (GHGs). Liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and grid-based electricity are scalable alternatives to polluting fuels but have raised climate and health concerns. Here, we compare emissions and climate impacts of a business-as-usual household cooking fuel trajectory to four large-scale transitions to gas and/or grid electricity in 77 LMICs. We account for upstream and end-use emissions from gas and electric cooking, assuming electrical grids evolve according to the 2022 World Energy Outlook's 'Stated Policies' Scenario. We input the emissions into a reduced-complexity climate model to estimate radiative forcing and temperature changes associated with each scenario. We find full transitions to LPG and/or electricity decrease emissions from both well-mixed GHG and SLCFs, resulting in a roughly 5 millikelvin global temperature reduction by 2040. Transitions to LPG and/or electricity also reduce annual emissions of PM2.5 by over 6 Mt (99%) by 2040, which would substantially lower health risks from household air pollution. Full transitions to LPG or grid electricity in LMICs improve climate impacts over BAU trajectories.