The report is an output of the £40 million UKFCDO-funded Modern Energy Cooking Services (MECS) programme which Loughborough leads.

Currently 4 billion people still cook with fuels that are harmful to the environment and can negatively impact their own health. The report helps to understand the energy needs of families when cooking and sets out a roadmap for increasing access to sustainable, affordable and modern energy for cooking. Increasing this access will help to achieve the seventh Sustainable Development Goal set by the UN.

Loughborough University, the World Bank’s Energy Sector Management Assistance Program (ESMAP) and the Clean Cooking Alliance will deliver an online panel discussion and Q&A to launch the new report. Speakers will include Professor Ed Brown, who is the MECS Research Director and the University’s Pro Vice-Chancellor (Research) Professor Steve Rothberg, as well as representatives from UKFCDO, UN bodies including the WHO, the energy ministries of Kenya and Nepal, other international organizations and the private sector.

Prof. Brown said: “The report presents a new understanding of what is meant by ‘access’ to clean cooking. Previously this was measured on the basis of whether or not households cook primarily with ‘clean fuels’. The new definition is more nuanced and, not only measures access to fuels, but also other attributes of the cooking system that reflect the user's context and cooking experience. It goes beyond efficiency and emissions to also include measures of convenience, safety, affordability and availability.”

The event will take place online on 24 September, 8am-9.30am and all are welcome to join - you can register here.