Outdoor cooking prevalence in developing countries and its implication for clean cooking policies. (8th November 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Langbein, Jörg; Peters, Jörg; Vance, Colin
• Is Part Of: Environmental research letters. Volume 12:Number 11(2017:Nov.)
• Publication Date: 2017-11-08
• Subjects: air pollution -- health behavior -- energy access -- public health; Environmental sciences -- Periodicals; Human ecology -- Research -- Periodicals; Environmental health -- Periodicals; 333.7
• DOI: 10.1088/1748-9326/aa8642
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1748-9326

Abstract

Abstract: More than 3 billion people use wood fuels for their daily cooking needs, with detrimental health implications related to smoke emissions. Best practice global initiatives emphasize the dissemination of clean cooking stoves, but these are often expensive and suffer from interrupted supply chains that do not reach rural areas. This emphasis neglects that many households in the developing world cook outdoors. Our calculations suggest that for such households, the use of less expensive biomass cooking stoves can substantially reduce smoke exposure. The cost-effectiveness of clean cooking policies can thus be improved by taking cooking location and ventilation into account.