UN Commission on Sustainable Development, 14 th Session Partnerships Fair, 2 May 2006 Eva Rehfuess Programme on Indoor Air Pollution World Health Organization Smoke in the Kitchen Health Impacts of Indoor Air Pollution in Developing Countries

Prabir Mallik/The World Bank

Some 3 billion people rely on solid fuels (e.g. dung, wood, agricultural residues, charcoal, coal) for their basic energy needs.Some 3 billion people rely on solid fuels (e.g. dung, wood, agricultural residues, charcoal, coal) for their basic energy needs. Cooking and heating with solid fuels leads to high levels of indoor smoke, a complex mix of health-damaging pollutants (including small particles, carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides).Cooking and heating with solid fuels leads to high levels of indoor smoke, a complex mix of health-damaging pollutants (including small particles, carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides). Typical small particle levels (PM 10 ) in biomass fuel-using home: µg/m 3 European Union standard: 50 µg/m 3Typical small particle levels (PM 10 ) in biomass fuel-using home: µg/m 3 European Union standard: 50 µg/m 3 What is the problem? Nigel Bruce/ITDG

WHO, Fuel for Life: Household Energy and Health Who is most at risk?

Health outcomeEvidence ALRI (children <5yr) COPD (adults) Lung cancer (coal) Between studies Few measured exposure Confounding 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 diseaseNo studies, but suggestive What are the health impacts? Smith, Mehta and Feuz, 2004

Highly Neglected Issue! 1.5 million annual deaths in the poorest countriesin the poorest countries > among children> among children > among women> among women Who is most affected?

What is the link between indoor smoke and the Millennium Development Goals? Household Energy MDG 1: Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger MDG 3: Promote gender equality and empower women MDG 4: Reduce child mortality MDG 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 pollution and household energy e.g. assessment of the burden of diseaseDocumenting the health burden of indoor air pollution and household energy e.g. assessment of the burden of disease What does the World Health Organization do? Evaluating the effectiveness of technical solutions and their implementation e.g. catalogue of methods; regional training workshopsEvaluating the effectiveness of technical solutions and their implementation e.g. catalogue of methods; regional training workshops Acting as the global advocate for health as a central component of international/national energy policies e.g. cost-benefit analysis of household energy interventions; Ministerial side-event on household energy and healthActing as the global advocate for health as a central component of international/national energy policies e.g. cost-benefit analysis of household energy interventions; Ministerial side-event on household energy and health Monitoring changes in household energy habits over time e.g. MDG indicator on solid fuel useMonitoring changes in household energy habits over time e.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 contact: Eva Rehfuess Programme on Indoor Air Pollution World Health Organization 1211 Geneva 27 Switzerland Nigel Bruce/ITDG