World Energy Outlook 2007

stoves. According to the World Health Organization, the use of biomass for
cooking and heating causes over 400 000 premature deaths per year in India
(Figure 20.2). The number of such deaths in India each year is equivalent to the
population of Luxembourg. Most of the premature deaths are women and
children. Women, who are traditionally responsible for cooking, and children
suffer most from indoor air pollution because they spend many hours by the
cooking fire.
The distribution of particulate matter (PM) in Indian households using biomass
is over 2 000 microgrammes per cubic metre (μg/m 3 ) (Smith, 2000). 9 This
compares with the 150 μg/m 3 standard set by the US Environmental Protection
Agency for good health. During the cooking period, levels in India are much
higher and in densely populated communities, high emissions from biomass
burning can result in elevated local pollution. Acute respiratory infections make
up about one-ninth of the national disease burden in India and are one of the
main causes of death in children under five years of age. Such infections in India
are the largest single disease category in the world, accounting for 2.5% of the
global burden of ill health (WHO, 2007).
Figure 20.2: Annual Average Premature Deaths from Indoor Air Pollution
700
600
500
thousand
400
300
200
100
0
Latin America India Sub-Saharan Other*
Africa
* Includes all other countries except OECD countries, for which WHO does not assess the burden on health
from ARI because less than 5% of the population uses solid fuels.
Note: Includes premature deaths among people using coal and biomass for cooking and heating.
Source: World Health Organization (2007).
9. Smith measured particulate matter (PM 10
) 24-hour concentrations.
582 World Energy Outlook 2007 - INDIA’S ENERGY PROSPECTS