Household air pollution

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Goal 7 | Indicator 7.1.2 Proportion of population with primary reliance on clean fuels and technologies

Exposure to indoor air pollutants can lead to a wide range of adverse health outcomes ranging from eye conditions to respiratory illnesses and cancer. Members of households who rely on the use of polluting fuels and devices also suffer a higher risk of burns, poisoning, and musculoskeletal injuries. It is estimated that approximately two thirds (69.3% [UI 64.4 to 73.4]) of the global population were primarily using clean fuels and technologies for cooking in 2020, up from one half (49.5% [UI 45.4 to 53.6]) in 2000.

In all WHO regions, urban populations have systematically had greater access to clean fuels and technologies for cooking in the past two decades. The biggest improvement was in the South-East Asia Region, which experienced a seven-fold increase in coverage in its rural areas and a doubling in its urban areas. Coverage in the rural areas of the Western Pacific Region more than doubled between 2000 and 2020. Coverage has remained lowest in the African Region: only 6.2% (UI 5.1 to 7.5) of its rural population and 38.9% (UI 35.5 to 42.6) of its urban population could rely primarily on clean fuels and technologies for cooking in 2020.

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Indicator name: 
 Proportion of population with primary reliance on clean fuels and technologies for cooking (%) 
Short name: 
 PHE_HHAIR_PROP_POP_CLEAN_FUELS 
Data type: 
 Percent 
Indicator Id: 
 4673 

                            Topic:
                        

                                Risk factors
                            

ISO Health Indicators Framework

Environmental factors

Rationale:

The use of solid fuels and kerosene in households is associated with increased mortality from acute lower respiratory, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, stroke, ischaemic heart disease, and lung cancer.

Definition:

Proportion of population with primary reliance on clean fuels and technology is calculated as the number of people using clean fuels and technologies for cooking, heating and lighting divided by total population reporting that any cooking, heating or lighting, expressed as percentage. “Clean” is defined by the emission rate targets and specific fuel recommendations (i.e. against unprocessed coal and kerosene) included in the normative guidance WHO guidelines for indoor air quality: household fuel combustion.

Disaggregation:

Location (urban/rural)

Method of measurement

The indicator is calculated as the number of people using clean fuels and technologies divided by total population, expressed as a percentage. Based on the recommendations included in the WHO Guidelines for indoor air quality: household fuel combustion, the fuels and technologies that are considered clean include electricity, natural gas, liquified petroleum gas, biogas, ethanol, and solar.

M&E Framework:

Outcome

Method of estimation:

A non-parametrical statistical model based on household survey data and time as inputs is applied to derive estimates. For further information on the model, see Stoner O et al, 2020: Global Household Energy Model: A Multivariate Hierarchical Approach to Estimating Trends in the Use of Polluting and Clean Fuels for Cooking (see link below). Input data for the model is found in the WHO Household Energy Database. This database compiles data from nationally-representative surveys and censuses that provide estimates of primary cooking fuels and technologies. In cases where estimates of the population not cooking at home, with missing data or cooking with "other" fuels are provided, these populations are removed from the denominator for estimation purposes. The population data source is the 2018 Revision of World Urbanization Prospects (see link below).

Method of estimation of global and regional aggregates:

Countries are population-weighted to obtain regional aggregates; for countries with no data, nothing is reported.

Preferred data sources:

National survey

Population census

Household surveys

Expected frequency of data dissemination:

Annual

Expected frequency of data collection:

Annual

Comments:

There may be discrepancies between internationally reported and nationally reported figures. The reasons are the following: - Modelled estimates versus survey data point. - Use of different definitions of clean fuels and technologies (electricity, natural gas, LPG, inclusion or not of kerosene). - Use of different total population estimate - Estimates are expressed as percentage of population using clean fuels and technologies (as per SDG indicator) as compared to percentage of household using clean fuels and technologies (as assessed by surveys such as DHS or MICS

Contact person email:

sdg7@who.int

Name:

sdg7@who.int

Links:

Burning opportunity: clean household energy for health, sustainable development, and wellbeing of women and children. (WHO, 2016)

Global Household Energy Model: A Multivariate Hierarchical Approach to Estimating Trends in the Use of Polluting and Clean Fuels for Cooking. Journal of the Royal Statistical Society, Applied Statistics, Series C. 2020

World Urbanization Prospects

Indicator Metadata Registry List

Clean fuels and technologies are defined in accordance with WHO guidelines for indoor air quality: household fuel combustion. This includes households primarily relying on electricity, biogas, natural gas, liquified petroleum gas (LPG), solar or alcohol fuels for cooking.

GHO PHE_HHAIR_PROP_POP_CLEAN_FUELS Proportion of population with primary reliance on clean fuels and technologies for cooking (%) REGIONAL DOT PLOT TEMPLATE

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Related indicators

Household air pollution: exposure

Household air pollution: burden of disease

SDG Target 3.9 | Mortality from environmental pollution : Reduce the number of deaths and illnesses from hazardous chemicals and air, water and soil pollution and contamination

SDG Target 7.1 | Clean household energy: By 2030, ensure universal access to affordable, reliable and modern energy services

Proportion of population with primary reliance on clean fuels and technologies for cooking (%)