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As of 2018, approximately 80 percent of Bangladeshi households lacked access to clean cooking alternatives, with 74 percent of the rural population relying on biomass. While LPG adoption is growing at 8–10 percent annually due to government tax exemptions, other technologies like electric stoves (1.1% usage) and improved cookstoves (10% usage) face affordability and awareness barriers. Financing is heavily skewed toward improved cookstoves (ICS) via development finance institutions (DFIs) and government programs like IDCOL, while private sector participation remains limited except in the LPG sector. The proposed National Action Plan 2020–2030 estimates a total investment requirement of USD 2.9 billion to achieve 100 percent clean cooking access by 2030.

The report finds that while India's clean cooking schemes improve energy access and save women an average of one hour per day, current LPG subsidies are inefficiently targeted, with nearly half of beneficiaries not belonging to the poorest households. It recommends refining subsidy targeting to better support poor households and adopting a holistic strategy that promotes non-fossil-fuel cooking technologies, such as electricity.

The report assesses how India's LPG subsidy schemes, specifically PAHAL (DBTL) and Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY), affect poor women. It finds that while PMUY has increased LPG access and reduced drudgery—saving women an average of one hour per day—significant inefficiencies remain. Many poor households are still left behind due to affordability and distribution barriers, while a large share of consumption subsidies benefit wealthier households. The report recommends improving targeting, reviewing the PMUY loan system to ensure affordability for the poorest, and adopting a more holistic clean cooking strategy.

The report argues that shifting subsidies from kerosene to off-grid solar is economically viable and socially beneficial for India's rural poor. It details three primary subsidy pathways—targeting households, manufacturers, or financial institutions—and provides a framework for administration, funding, and beneficiary targeting to achieve '24x7 Power for All'.

The paper examines Tanzania's electrification challenges, noting that only 32.8% of the population had electricity access in 2016. It critiques the proposed $3.6 billion Stiegler's Gorge hydroelectric dam, arguing that its benefits are outweighed by risks to the Selous World Heritage Site and downstream livelihoods in the Lower Rufiji. The author suggests that Tanzania should leapfrog traditional centralized infrastructure in favor of a combination of large-scale and micro-scale solar and wind power to achieve inclusive development without causing significant biodiversity loss.

The world is not on track to meet SDG7 by 2030, with progress falling short across all four targets. While electricity access is accelerating in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, and renewable energy is growing in the electricity sector, access to clean cooking remains the most lagging area. Energy efficiency is improving, particularly in the industrial sector, though the rate of improvement is below the target required to double the global rate by 2030.

This report examines the intersection of gender and LPG subsidy reform in Indonesia, finding that current subsidies are regressive and fail to reach many poor women. It highlights that women are more vulnerable to price increases due to their primary role in cooking and household management, and that switching back to biomass fuels poses significant health risks through indoor air pollution.

The report concludes that the Highveld Priority Area (HPA) has failed to improve air quality over a decade, with ambient air remaining in widespread non-compliance with health-based national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS). This failure is attributed to inadequate government capacity, a lack of financial and human resources at the municipal level, and the failure of major industrial emitters, specifically Eskom and Sasol, to reduce emissions. The report highlights a deteriorating monitoring network, ineffective dust control regulations, and a lack of progress in addressing indoor air pollution in low-income settlements. It argues that the granting of postponements from minimum emission standards (MES) to major polluters has further hindered progress, violating the constitutional rights of residents to an environment not harmful to their health.

The document identifies key barriers to the adoption of off-grid solar lighting in India, including kerosene subsidies, non-market-based promotion policies, financing bottlenecks, and poor quality assurance. It argues that transitioning from kerosene to solar can provide significant health, educational, and environmental benefits while saving the Government of India approximately INR 600 per household annually.

The document identifies high upfront costs, limited financial inclusion, and persistent kerosene subsidies as the primary barriers to off-grid solar adoption in rural India. It suggests leveraging the 'JAM trinity' (Jan Dhan Yojana, Aadhaar, and mobile payments) to implement Direct Benefit Transfers (DBT) for solar and reforming the Public Distribution System (PDS) to reduce kerosene leakage. The brief argues that savings from reduced kerosene subsidies could be redirected to fund solar penetration through results-based financing or direct customer subsidies.

The study found that replacing traditional three-stone fires with improved rocket mud stoves in Western Kenya led to significant reductions in peak carbon monoxide (CO) concentrations, though 48-hour mean reductions were smaller and less certain. While a correlation was found between kitchen CO and PM2.5, the authors conclude that CO is limited as a proxy for PM2.5 and that a combination of better stoves, ventilation, and cleaner fuels is necessary to improve health.

The proposal outlines a 25-year program to address financing gaps for off-grid energy (OGE) companies in India. It seeks US$31 million from the Green Climate Fund (GCF) to create a first-loss capital pool and provide technical assistance, complementing a US$100 million revolving credit line anchored by the Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency (IREDA). The facility aims to reduce the high perceived risk of OGE lending, lower interest rates for companies, and replace kerosene use with clean energy in underserved rural and urban areas.

The report finds a significant lack of primary quantitative research on how fossil fuel subsidy reforms specifically affect women. It argues that while subsidies are generally regressive—benefiting wealthier households—their removal can disproportionately harm poor women due to their primary responsibility for domestic energy tasks and limited intra-household bargaining power. The document reviews the potential for mitigation measures, such as conditional cash transfers and targeted energy vouchers, and outlines a mixed-methods research plan for Bangladesh, India, and Nigeria to analyze impacts on women's welfare, productivity, and empowerment.

The document investigates whether health-based messaging can drive the adoption of clean cookstoves in Cambodia and Kenya. Findings from both studies indicate that health messaging has a minimal effect on actual purchases, with price and the efficacy of sales agents being more significant drivers. While the campaign in Cambodia increased awareness of health risks, awareness in Kenya was already high at the baseline. The research suggests that for health messaging to be effective, it must be combined with innovative financing to overcome affordability barriers and be better aligned with end-user needs.

The report analyzes the transition from biomass and kerosene to LPG in Ghaziabad, India. It finds that while there is high willingness to use clean fuel, poor households are deterred by high startup costs and documentation requirements, often resorting to a costly black market. The study highlights the regressive nature of current subsidies and the significant impact of female literacy and household income on fuel switching.

The report argues that India's kerosene subsidy program is highly inefficient due to significant leakages and poor service quality. It proposes replacing these subsidies with targeted support for solar-based lighting in rural areas and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) for urban-poor households, asserting that such a transition would be economically beneficial for both the government and the beneficiaries.

The document examines the gendered impacts of fossil fuel subsidy reform in Nigeria, highlighting how increased energy prices can reduce women's economic opportunities and worsen respiratory health due to a shift toward biomass fuels. It advocates for a "precautionary principle" in policy design, suggesting targeted compensation such as in-kind transfers, micro-loans for women, and the promotion of domestic clean cooking technologies like LPG and improved stoves. The authors emphasize that the government can improve public acceptance of reform by credibly demonstrating that vulnerable women are protected and that subsidy savings are reinvested into effective energy access policies.

The study identifies a strong desire for citizen involvement in energy planning in Migori County, where energy use is dominated by biomass and kerosene. It proposes a participatory framework consisting of six key activities to move away from top-down planning and better meet local energy needs.

The document highlights that 76% of Kenyans rely on traditional biomass for cooking, leading to significant public health crises and economic losses. It argues that while Kenya is a leader in clean cookstove distribution, large-scale transformation requires removing market barriers, such as high import duties, and regulating the charcoal sector. The brief recommends a shift from end-user subsidies to upstream value chain support and the adoption of human-centered design to ensure long-term stove usage.

The action research conducted in Kampong Chhnang province found that health messaging alone was not a primary driver for ACE-1 cookstove sales. While positive health campaigns were more effective at shifting attitudes and increasing awareness of household air pollution, actual sales were predominantly driven by the individual traits, persuasiveness, and commitment of sales agents. The most successful agent combined health storytelling with functional benefits, such as fuel reduction and cooking speed. Significant barriers to adoption included the high price of the stove ($100-$115) relative to low household incomes and a lack of disposable cash during the planting season. The study concludes that while health campaigns can change perceptions, sales are more dependent on agent quality, product affordability, and the communication of functional advantages.