Why electric cooking is the future we need

The Global Cooksafe Coalition (GCC) is working to change that, driving a cultural and policy shift towards electric cooking as a key component of a cleaner, healthier and more sustainable built environment.

British Safety Council signed up as a GCC member in November 2023, joining leading global experts in property, public health, climate science, aid and development, appliances and cooking. These experts are united by their commitment to safer kitchens and a safer climate.

Tushar Nair: "For decades, the gas industry has invested heavily in marketing to create an emotional attachment to ‘cooking with gas’."

Dr Julie Riggs, director of education and membership at British Safety Council, said: “People working in commercial kitchens know more than most about safety, given the risks they face every day from their work. But they may be overlooking one major invisible hazard – the fumes and smoke that come from cooking with gas, wood or other solid fuels. These don’t just affect their own health, cooking using fossil fuels contributes directly to air pollution and to climate change.”

Public health hazard

Gas stoves are a public health hazard. They emit nitrogen dioxide (NO2), carbon monoxide, and even benzene-pollutants linked to respiratory illnesses, cardiovascular diseases and even cancer.

The risks are especially severe for children. Asthma Australia equates the risk of childhood asthma from gas stoves to that of passive smoking. CLASP, in a recent study, estimated that over 700,000 children in the EU experienced asthma symptoms linked to gas cooking, within a 12-month timeframe. While ventilation can help, it’s not sufficient. Recirculation hoods are ineffective at removing NO2, and externally vented hoods are only effective if properly maintained and used long enough.

Stanford University research has shown that a single gas burner can raise indoor benzene levels beyond those found in secondhand tobacco smoke. Transitioning to electric cooking – particularly induction technology – provides a safer indoor environment for families around the world.

Electric cooking is not only healthier but also significantly safer for kitchen workers and home cooks alike. Gas stoves produce open flames, increasing the risk of burns, grease fires and accidental flare-ups, which are common causes of injuries in both domestic and professional kitchens. Induction cooktops, on the other hand, remain cool to the touch except where in direct contact with cookware, reducing burn risks.

Switching to electric cooking creates a more comfortable, cooler, and ultimately safer workspace. Photograph: iStock

Additionally, eliminating combustion-based cooking improves indoor air quality, reducing the respiratory issues commonly experienced by chefs and food service workers. In commercial kitchens, where long shifts expose workers to prolonged heat and pollutants, switching to electric cooking creates a more comfortable, cooler, and ultimately safer workspace.

Solution to energy poverty

Electric cooking isn’t just eco-friendly – it’s also a solution to energy poverty. With solar costs dropping and gas prices rising, electric cooking is now the cheaper option in many places. Induction stoves are 85 per cent efficient versus gas at 32 per cent, saving energy.

In regions reliant on solid fuels or kerosene, electric alternatives cut indoor air pollution and improve living conditions. Even in wealthier nations, all-electric homes have lower energy bills, making electrification both affordable and sustainable.

© CLASP, Clearing the Air: Gas Cooking and Pollution in European Homes, November 2023, www.clasp.ngo, and Global Cooksafe Coalition

For decades, the gas industry has invested heavily in marketing to create an emotional attachment to ‘cooking with gas’. The GCC is working with world renowned chefs like Simon Rogan, Santiago Lastra and Skye Gyngell who have committed to electrifying their kitchens. Lendlease Europe and Grosvenor Property UK joined the coalition as property partners and committed to phase out gas from all new kitchens in their developments by 2030, and to retrofit existing properties with electric power by 2040.

They join a growing movement of forward-thinking leaders around the world, including GCC’s international partners, already transitioning to electric-only kitchens across combined property portfolios exceeding £120 billion.

By breaking the consumer demand cycle for gas, we create the conditions for regulatory action and industry-wide change. The transition to electric cooking is more than just a technological upgrade – it’s a necessary step towards a cleaner, healthier, safer and more just world. The time to act is now.

Join the Global Cooksafe Coalition

If you want to join the Global Cooksafe Coalition, or learn more about the work that we do, please reach out via our website or email [email protected]

In 2020 alone, cooking accounted for nearly 500 megatonnes of CO2 emissions globally, according to the International Energy Agency.

Gas stoves don’t just burn fossil fuels when in use – they also leak methane, a greenhouse gas with 80 times the warming potential of CO2 over a 20-year period. Research from Stanford University has found that more than 75 per cent of methane emissions from gas stoves occur when they are off, making them a silent but significant contributor to climate change. Eliminating fossil gas from kitchens is a crucial step in reducing emissions and achieving net-zero targets.

For more information, see:cooksafecoalition.org
@GlobalCooksafe
linkedin.com/company/global-cooksafe-coalition/

Tushar Nair is UK and Europe campaign manager at Global Cooksafe Coalition