Rethinking clean cooking solutions: Assessing the impact of subsidy and distribution modality on improved cook stove programs in Nepal

IF 6.9 2区经济学 Q1 ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES

Energy Research & Social Science Pub Date : 2025-03-22 DOI:10.1016/j.erss.2025.104027

Sunil Prasad Lohani , Rosy Pradhan Shrestha , Mandip Shrestha , Henna Rinta-Kiikka , Jarkko Tissari

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Clean cooking intervention and sustained use of them are crucial in achieving several sustainable development goals (SDG) including SDG 3, 7 and 13. This study aims to examine the impact of subsidy and distribution modality and sustainability of improved cook stove program (ICS) through retrospective assessments. The ICS distributed was an upgrade over inefficient traditional stoves, with a thermal efficiency of approximately 27 %, nearly twice the 15 % efficiency for the traditional stove. The study employs a mixed-methods approach, combining qualitative and quantitative elements to comprehensively evaluate the government-financed improved cook stove program in two rural municipalities of Nepal. This study uncovers the nuances of the ICS in study areas and reveal significant discrepancies between the intended outcomes of interventions and the actual practices and preferences of end-users. The results show that, although stoves are provided free of cost, sustained use was not ensured. Surprisingly, approximately 35 % of the end-users had exchanged their stoves for onions, especially those with low income. However, 22 % of the participants mentioned that they use the stove occasionally, particularly during rainy season and festivals. The adoption of the improved cookstove is ultimately determined by preference of the cookstove user. The study findings emphasized the needs of end-users' requirement while selecting the clean cooking options for better intervention outcomes. Nepal as a case study, the research contributes to the global discourse on clean cooking interventions, offering insights applicable to other low- and middle-income countries facing similar challenges. The findings of this study should inform policy and practice in diverse contexts and should encourage relevant stakeholders and policy makers to reevaluate their policies and program related with clean cooking intervention in Nepal.

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来源期刊

Energy Research & Social Science ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES-

CiteScore

14.00

自引率

16.40%

发文量

441

审稿时长

55 days

期刊介绍： Energy Research & Social Science (ERSS) is a peer-reviewed international journal that publishes original research and review articles examining the relationship between energy systems and society. ERSS covers a range of topics revolving around the intersection of energy technologies, fuels, and resources on one side and social processes and influences - including communities of energy users, people affected by energy production, social institutions, customs, traditions, behaviors, and policies - on the other. Put another way, ERSS investigates the social system surrounding energy technology and hardware. ERSS is relevant for energy practitioners, researchers interested in the social aspects of energy production or use, and policymakers. Energy Research & Social Science (ERSS) provides an interdisciplinary forum to discuss how social and technical issues related to energy production and consumption interact. Energy production, distribution, and consumption all have both technical and human components, and the latter involves the human causes and consequences of energy-related activities and processes as well as social structures that shape how people interact with energy systems. Energy analysis, therefore, needs to look beyond the dimensions of technology and economics to include these social and human elements.