Health Impact of. in Developing Countries

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1 Health Impact of Indoor Air Pollution and Household Energy in Developing Countries Anna Agarwal MIT India Reading Group October 2007 "Improving indoor air quality to break the cycle of poverty"

2 Major Source of Indoor Air Pollution: Burning solid fuels for household energy requirements

Use of these fuels indoors leads to levels of indoor air pollution many times higher

3 Exposure ~3 b of the world s poorest people rely on biomass and coal for household energy needs. Use of these fuels indoors leads to levels of indoor air pollution many times higher than international ambient air quality standards allow for. particulate matter, carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, sulphur dioxide, formaldehyde, and carcinogens

6 Burden of Indoor Air Pollution Table: Annual burden of disease attributable to solid fuel use, early 1990s In 2002, 1.6 m people died of diseases caused by IAP

7 Mainly poor women and children affected

10 Other important impacts Burns to children and injuries A range of inter-related quality of life, economic and environmental consequences

11 Interventions for reducing IAP exposure

12 Interventions for reducing IAP exposure

13 Improved stoves Several hundred improved stoves programmes in over 50 countries ranging from entirely local, non-governmental advocacy to national initiatives reaching millions of households. These stoves can reduce indoor air pollution because of better combustion, with lower emissions and potentially also shorter cooking times.

14 Case studies: Improved stoves The Chinese National Improved Stoves Program is one of the big household energy success stories. In the 1980s and 1990s, the Chinese government implemented the programme in a - decentralized fashion - reducing bureaucratic hurdles and speeding up financial payments - central production of critical stove components, such as parts of the combustion chamber - enforced quality control - modification of general designs ensured that the stove would meet the needs of local users. - Development of local production and markets The program thus managed to shift societal norms: most biomass stoves now on sale in China are improved stoves.

15 Case studies: Improved stoves Africa 5 million improved stoves are now in use Kenya: Improved biomass stove reduces fuel demand by 40% Sri Lanka Reach 25% of households India - Indian national program distributed more than 33 million stoves between 1983 and Improved stoves currently account for less than 7% of all stoves - Many of them in poor working order due to improper installation and lack of maintenance.

16 Interventions for reducing IAP exposure

17 MDG target proposed by UN to halve the number of people without access to modern cooking fuels

18 Energy requirement to achieve MDG

19 Can we do away with solid fuels? Moving to cleaner fuels Limited access UN Development Program s LPG challenge to overcome barriers for rural communities to access LPG where it is readily available in urban areas. Incentive? Biomass is free of cost Poorest of poor make a living by collecting and selling biomass fuel Biogas from dung and waste might be more effective solution Very successful in Nepal Harder in Africa (culture)

20 Interventions for reducing IAP exposure

21 Kitchen in West Kenya Living Environment Kenya : Smoke hoods reduced particulate pollution by 75%, CO in room reduced by 78%, personal exposure experienced by women reduced by 1/3 rd

22 For success of household energy projects Needs-oriented, i.e. solutions developed should meet the wishes and needs of consumers. Be participatory, i.e. the users and producers should be involved in the planning and implementation of activities. Be holistic in design, i.e. address issues such as energy saving measures, resource conservation measures, lighter workloads, improved health and higher incomes. Be tailored to the situation at hand, i.e. be carefully designed to ensure they are appropriate to the respective local socio-cultural and economic circumstances. Be sustainable, i.e. local production should be reinforced to secure a sustainable supply of stoves, promotion of local artisans, self-help measures. Promote demand, i.e. by awareness-raising, sensitization, advertising, education.

23 The Yunus Challenge topic is "Improving indoor air quality to break the cycle of poverty" Kick-off dinner for this challenge: Monday, October 22, :00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. MIT room Dr. Muhammad Yunus

Reducing Indoor Air Pollution in Sri Lanka - Is the Situation Improving?

Reducing Indoor Air Pollution in Sri Lanka - Is the Situation Improving? R.M.Amaresekara, A. Gunawardena, A.G.T. Sugathapala & P.Steele 12/13/2004 1 Outline of Presentation 1 Introduction 2 Review of Current