In regions where biomass is a traditional fuel for cooking, improved cookstoves can enhance indoor air quality, personal health, livelihoods, and the environment—while substantially reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Although ongoing efforts have successfully disseminated improved stoves that achieve many of these benefits, substantially greater emissions reductions are needed to comply with international guidelines for indoor air quality and to limit GHG emissions like black carbon.Today, an estimated 2.5 billion people, or about one-third of the world's population, rely on biomass fuel for cooking. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), exposure to smoke from these open fires and cookstoves leads to pneumonia, chronic respiratory disease, and lung cancer — causing an estimated 1.6 million deaths each year. In the developing world, the disease burden from indoor smoke is comparable to the burdens from malaria, tuberculosis, or HIV/AIDS. Improved cookstoves with reduced emissions and greater fuel efficiency can achieve the following:Reduce disease and save lives by decreasing exposure to indoor air pollution (IAP).

Reduce the risk of violence against women and children gathering fuel in conflict areas.

Reduce the time and cost of procuring fuel, thereby freeing individuals for other productive activities.

Empower women and communities via engagement in the production, use, and distribution of cookstoves.

Mitigate climate change by reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, including black carbon (BC).

Reduce pressure on forests and other vegetation and facilitate sustainable harvesting of biomass fuels. Significant progress has been achieved in designing and disseminating cookstoves with reduced emissions and increased efficiency. However, further reductions in emissions are required to meet WHO guidelines for indoor air quality (IAQ) and achieve significant health benefits. While chimneys improve indoor air quality and health, they do not address climate change. A focused effort, including technical research; product innovation, design, and development; laboratory and field testing; and implementation, is needed to deliver the health and climate benefits associated with reducing emissions by at least 90% and fuel use by at least 50%. The effort will need to address numerous challenges and tradeoffs, such as improved efficiency versus reduced emissions and affordability and usability of advanced technology. Research developments should provide clear guidance for stove design and dissemination. All stages or research and product design should be integrated with field validation of stove performance and user acceptance.

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