About Household Air Pollution

Household air pollution exposure results from burning solid fuels for cooking, heating, or other domestic tasks. Burning these fuels produces an array of health-harming pollutants, including PM_2.5 and its constituent black carbon and carbon monoxide. 

The health effects of exposure to HAP include an increased risk of ischemic heart disease, lung cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), lower respiratory infections (such as pneumonia), stroke, type 2 diabetes, and adverse birth outcomes. HAP is also associated with the development of cataracts. 

Why it Matters

Nearly half the world’s population is exposed to household air pollution. In 2021, 47% of the global population or about 3.6 billion people rely on solid fuels for cooking, a major source of HAP, and 3.1 million people died from causes attributable to it.

HAP is also a leading cause of pollution-related deaths among babies in their first month of life. Almost 20% of newborn deaths in the first week of life are due to HAP; nearly 500,000 deaths in children under five years are also linked to household air pollution.

HAP exposure is far higher in poorer countries than in wealthier ones. People living in less-developed countries more often have limited or no access to cleaner energy sources and rely on solid fuels that are subsidized or can be gathered locally. Many of these countries lack the infrastructure to provide clean energy cooking and heating solutions. 

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Household Air Pollution Trends

Overall, household air pollution exposures and deaths have fallen over the past decade. Global HAP exposures dropped 15%, and HAP-attributable deaths fell by 26% from 2010–2020.

The most notable improvements were seen in China and India, where aggressive campaigns led to widespread adoption of cleaner fuels. From 2010 to 2020, China reduced the percentage of its population exposed to household air pollution from 53% to 30%, while India reduced its percentage from 73% to 60%.  

Progress has been slower in Africa. In several countries including Burundi, Mali, Tanzania, and Uganda, more than 90% of the population still relies on solid fuels for cooking. Several African countries have seen a rise in the number of people exposed to HAP despite achieving a reduction in the percentage of households relying on solid fuels. This is because population growth outpaced reductions in the use of solid fuels.

The solution to addressing household air pollution is simple and its impact is clear: improve access to clean cooking and improve public health. However, the experience from countries shows that major improvements in access to, and use of clean energy for cooking and heating can only be achieved through sustained government action through, for instance, implementation of the UN Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) target 7.1.2 (ensure access to clean energy in homes). Additionally, reducing use of solid fuels for cooking can also help reduce short-lived climate pollutants.