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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 (71% [UI 67-75]) of the global population were primarily using clean fuels and technologies for cooking in 2021, up from one half (49% [UI 45 to 53]) 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 2021. Coverage has remained lowest in the African Region: only 6.8% (UI 5.7 to 8.1) of its rural population and 40.5% (UI 36.9 to 44.6) of its urban population could rely primarily on clean fuels and technologies for cooking in 2021.

 

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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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Regarding clean and polluting household energy use or household air pollution: [email protected] 

Regarding data or resources related to SDG 7 on energy access and health: [email protected]