New research links household air to lung cancer and heart disease
The invisible health emergency claiming millions of lives each year
- Household air pollution (HAP) is a major global health concern, responsible for millions of deaths annually and linked to severe conditions such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, stroke, and lung cancer.
- A study conducted from 1990 to 2021 across 204 countries found that despite a decline in solid fuel use, HAP exposure remains widespread, and sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia remain heavily dependent on polluting fuels.
- Exposure to HAP, often from cooking with polluting fuels, impairs cognitive development in children and exacerbates structural inequities, as cleaner energy options remain financially inaccessible for many households.
- Addressing HAP requires significant investment in clean energy infrastructure, subsidies for cleaner fuels and stoves, and strengthening health systems and data collection to identify at-risk communities and measure progress.
- Effective interventions depend on community engagement and locally appropriate technologies, underscoring that clean cooking is a critical matter of health equity, not merely a personal or environmental issue.