Rob Bailis
Senior Scientist, Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI)
Rob is a senior scientist at SEI US, based in Somerville. His research focuses on the relationships between energy, social welfare, and environmental change in developing countries.
Rob first became interested in these themes while working as a teacher in the U.S. Peace Corps in northwestern Kenya. He joined SEI after a decade as an academic researcher and university instructor.
Rob’s current research focuses mainly on biomass energy, ranging from traditional energy carriers like wood and charcoal to advanced liquid biofuels. His work on household energy includes ongoing projects on improved wood-burning stove dissemination in Honduras in partnership with Proyecto Mirado (a local NGO), multi-scalar assessments of woodfuel sustainability sponsored by the Global Alliance for Clean Cookstoves, and an improved stove intervention in India supported by a grant from the U.S. EPA.
Rob is also interested in social impact assessment and life-cycle approaches to help understand the implications of increased reliance on non-traditional forms of bioenergy in both developed and developing nations. His research has explored oilseed crops and eucalyptus plantations in Brazil as well as forest-based bioenergy in the southern U.S.
Rob has a B.S. in physics from Pennsylvania State University, an M.S. from Northwestern University, and a Ph.D. in energy and resources from the University of California, Berkeley. For a full list of his publications prior to joining SEI, check his profile on Google Scholar or Research Gate.
Day 0
October 10
Sessions by Rob Bailis
Day 1
October 11
Sessions by Rob Bailis
4:55 pm-5:55 pm
Breakout Room A
LPG for Clean Cooking: Pursuing a Just Transition and Climate Gains
Developing countries bear the least responsibility for climate change and yet they are disproportionately impacted. As the world works to set itself on a path to Net Zero emissions by 2050, many stakeholders treat any expansion of fossil fuel use as a no-go in all contexts. This stance is at odds with development goals like SDG 7, universal energy access, and the goals of a Just Transition. When it comes to delivering clean cooking to the 2.4 billion people who lack it, LPG represents an affordable, feasible, and quickly scalable solutions. What’s more, providing LPG for cooking is in fact a climate win when transitioning households away from solid and polluting fuels.
This session will highlight recent research findings that show that transitioning households to LPG from polluting fuels for cooking produce net-positive climate impacts. Meanwhile, innovative business models are making clean cooking solutions more affordable and accessible than ever before. A vibrant market, paired with supportive policies from governments, and adequate financing are needed to set the world on a path to limit global temperate rise to 1.5°C.
Speakers
Sheila Addo
Director for Policy Coordination, National Petroleum Authority
Rob Bailis
Senior Scientist, Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI)
Anibor Kragha
Executive Secretary, African Refiners & Distributors Association
Elizabeth Muchiri
Director, East Africa, Global LPG Partnership
Louis De Muylder
Head, Bboxx Cook
Day 2
October 12
Sessions by Rob Bailis
Day 3
October 13
Sessions by Rob Bailis
Day 4
October 14
Sessions by Rob Bailis
Sessions by Rob Bailis
Sessions by Rob Bailis
4:55 pm-5:55 pm
Breakout Room A
LPG for Clean Cooking: Pursuing a Just Transition and Climate Gains
Developing countries bear the least responsibility for climate change and yet they are disproportionately impacted. As the world works to set itself on a path to Net Zero emissions by 2050, many stakeholders treat any expansion of fossil fuel use as a no-go in all contexts. This stance is at odds with development goals like SDG 7, universal energy access, and the goals of a Just Transition. When it comes to delivering clean cooking to the 2.4 billion people who lack it, LPG represents an affordable, feasible, and quickly scalable solutions. What’s more, providing LPG for cooking is in fact a climate win when transitioning households away from solid and polluting fuels.
This session will highlight recent research findings that show that transitioning households to LPG from polluting fuels for cooking produce net-positive climate impacts. Meanwhile, innovative business models are making clean cooking solutions more affordable and accessible than ever before. A vibrant market, paired with supportive policies from governments, and adequate financing are needed to set the world on a path to limit global temperate rise to 1.5°C.
Speakers
Sheila Addo
Director for Policy Coordination, National Petroleum Authority
Rob Bailis
Senior Scientist, Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI)
Anibor Kragha
Executive Secretary, African Refiners & Distributors Association
Elizabeth Muchiri
Director, East Africa, Global LPG Partnership
Louis De Muylder
Head, Bboxx Cook