UN Commission on Sustainable Development, 14UN Commission on Sustainable Development, 14thth SessionSession

Partnerships Fair, 2 May 2006Partnerships Fair, 2 May 2006

Eva RehfuessEva RehfuessProgramme on Indoor Air PollutionProgramme on Indoor Air Pollution

World Health OrganizationWorld Health Organization

Smoke in the Smoke in the KitchenKitchen

Health Impacts ofHealth Impacts ofIndoor Air PollutionIndoor Air Pollution

in Developing Countriesin Developing Countries

Prabir Mallik/The World Bank

• Some 3 billion people rely on solid Some 3 billion people rely on solid fuels (e.g. fuels (e.g. dung, wood, agricultural dung, wood, agricultural residues, charcoal, coal) for their residues, charcoal, coal) for their basic energy needs.basic energy needs.

• Cooking and heating with solid fuels Cooking and heating with solid fuels leads to high levels of leads to high levels of indoor smoke, indoor smoke, a complex mix of health-damaging a complex mix of health-damaging pollutants (including small particles, pollutants (including small particles, carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides).carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides).

• Typical small particle levels (PMTypical small particle levels (PM1010) in ) in biomass fuel-using home: biomass fuel-using home: 1000+ 1000+ µg/mµg/m33

European Union standard: European Union standard: 50 µg/m50 µg/m33

What is the problem?What is the problem?

Nigel Bruce/ITDG

WHO, Fuel for Life: Household Energy and Health

Who is most at risk?Who is most at risk?

Health outcome Evidence• ALRI (children <5yr)• COPD (adults)• Lung cancer (coal)

Between 10 - 20 studiesFew measured exposureConfounding problematic

• Tuberculosis• Cataract• Upper airway cancer• Asthma

Several consistent studies(more conflicting for asthma)

• Low birth weight• Perinatal mortality• Otitis media

Very few studies, support from environmental tobacco smoke and ambient air pollution studies

• Cardiovascular disease

No studies, but suggestive

What are the health impacts?What are the health impacts?

Smith, Mehta and Feuz, 2004

HighlyNeglected

Issue!

1.5 million annual deaths1.5 million annual deaths• in the poorest countriesin the poorest countries• > 800 000 among children> 800 000 among children• > 500 000 among women> 500 000 among women

Who is most affected?Who is most affected?

What is the link between indoor smoke What is the link between indoor smoke and the Millennium Development Goals?and the Millennium Development Goals?

Household Energy

MDG 1: Eradicate extreme poverty and hungerMDG 1: Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger

MDG 3: Promote gender equality and empower womenMDG 3: Promote gender equality and empower women

MDG 4: Reduce child mortalityMDG 4: Reduce child mortality

MDG 7: Ensure environmental sustainabilityMDG 7: Ensure environmental sustainability

"We will spare no effort to free our fellow men, women and children from the abject and dehumanizing conditions of extreme poverty, to which more than a billion of them are currently subjected."

United Nations Millennium Development Declaration, signed by all 191 Member States of the United Nations in September 2000

• Documenting the health burden of indoor air Documenting the health burden of indoor air pollution and household energypollution and household energye.g. assessment of the burden of diseasee.g. assessment of the burden of disease

What does the World Health What does the World Health Organization do?Organization do?

• Evaluating the effectiveness of technical solutions Evaluating the effectiveness of technical solutions and their implementationand their implementatione.g. catalogue of methods; regional training workshopse.g. catalogue of methods; regional training workshops

• Acting as the global advocate for health as a central Acting as the global advocate for health as a central component of international/national energy policiescomponent of international/national energy policiese.g. cost-benefit analysis of household energy interventions; e.g. cost-benefit analysis of household energy interventions; Ministerial side-event on household energy and healthMinisterial side-event on household energy and health

• Monitoring changes in household energy habits over Monitoring changes in household energy habits over timetimee.g. MDG indicator on solid fuel usee.g. MDG indicator on solid fuel use

4000 deaths a day from cooking fires?

Let's prevent them!

CSD-14, New York, Conference Room 2

11 May 2006, 6:15 pm – 7:45 pm

For more information, please For more information, please contact:contact:

Eva RehfuessEva RehfuessProgramme on Indoor Air PollutionProgramme on Indoor Air Pollution

World Health OrganizationWorld Health Organization1211 Geneva 271211 Geneva 27

SwitzerlandSwitzerlandEmail: Email: rehfuesse@who.int

http://www.who.int/indoorairhttp://www.who.int/indoorairNigel Bruce/ITDG