In remote, very poor and marginalized communities in the Global South, the use of clean-cooking fuels is often inaccessible or, if used, combined with the use of open wood fires, which is known to cause adverse health impacts and emissions harmful to the climate.
This study investigates how low-cost interventions can mitigate some of the harmful effects of open wood fires in household use.
Photo: farluk / Getty Images
Exposure to household air pollution from open combustion of solid fuels continues to be a major cause of avoidable illness and death throughout the Global South. Hundreds of millions of dollars have been invested in activities attempting to induce a shift toward cleaner cooking options, but for many in poor, rural and marginalized communities – namely in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia – clean-cooking stoves and fuels simply aren’t accessible.
Furthermore, those who do employ clean-cooking techniques might also still use open wood-burning fires as a supplement, limiting the benefits of transitioning to gas or electricity.
Researchers tested the efficacy of various low-cost supplements to open fires, including rock beds, ceramic grates and metal grates, to help mitigate wood consumption and harmful emissions.
The modifications result in lower fuelwood consumption and emissions, resulting in social and environmental benefits, but they are unlikely reduce health impacts, which many policies and programs now prioritize.
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Journal article / Researchers measure the effectiveness of a grass-roots campaign in Western Kenya to increase cooking with rock-beds for open fires and simple woodstoves.
Journal article / Researchers examined fuelwood use in two rural Indian districts where clean cooking solutions were implemented.
Feature / Almost one-third of the world’s population has no access to clean energy for cooking. SEI scientists hope to help tackle the problem with better policies.
