GEO-6 Regional Assessment for Africa
Africa’s huge potential for renewable energy from solar and wind can result in health and economic benefits for the region. Most parts of the region receive sunlight for at least 320 days a year (IEA 2014). An estimated 18 of the top 35 developing countries with the highest renewable energy reserves are located in Africa (Buys et al. 2007). Africa could seize the opportunity of generating more electricity from such renewable sources so as to meet the demand for the 600 million people in the region who lack access to electricity in a clean and sustainable manner (AfDB, 2014), with positive benefits on the environment and human health.
2.1.2 Air Quality
Air quality in Africa’s rural areas is generally within acceptable limits, although there are areas where outdoor and indoor air quality is deteriorating rapidly due to increasing traffic volumes and use of firewood and other biomass sources of energy in densely populated urban neighbourhoods. The poor indoor and outdoor air quality is blamed for premature mortality and increasing respiratory illness in the region (Robinson and Hammitt 2009).
Indoor air pollution
Indoor air pollution is a major health problem in Africa. About 90 per cent of the population in sub-Saharan Africa is exposed to such health problems as they rely on biomass to meet their domestic energy needs (Mbatchou et al. 2015). Pollution from biomass fuel is ranked 10th
among preventable
risk factors contributing to the global burden of diseases. Household air pollution (HAP) resulting from incomplete combustion of solid fuels burnt on open fires or traditional cook stoves in poorly ventilated homes (Noubiap et. al. 2015) is a major public health problem, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa where most of the population still rely on solid fuels for cooking, heating, and lighting. Together with their health impacts, released pollutants can significantly contribute to climate change. The main unhealthy compounds are suspended particulate matter (PM) (McCracken et al. 2012, Rehfuess and Smith 2011). Despite a decline in the global proportion of households using mainly solid fuels for cooking, heating, and lighting, 581 300 premature deaths were attributable to HAP in Africa in 2012 (WHO 2014).
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There is direct and indirect evidence of the significant contribution of HAP to cardiovascular diseases in sub- Saharan Africa. Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) attributed to exposure to biomass combustion is an important health risk, especially in rural areas. For example, Malawi reported a COPD prevalence of 16 per cent among people exposed to indoor pollution from cook stoves (Fullerton et al. 2011, Mbatchou Ngahane et al. 2015).
types of fossil fuel combustion. The lamps are also significant sources of black carbon, increasing their contribution to climate change substantially. Their emissions are 20 times more than previously estimated, with 7-9 per cent of fuel burned converted into black carbon particles (Lam et al. 2012). As shown in Figure 2.1.1 Africa’s contribution of kerosene based black carbon is significant.
The use of kerosene lamps, which is widespread in Africa, results in both indoor and outdoor pollution, and contributes to climate change by emitting CO2
in the same way as other
Indoor air pollution from cooking, Kokemnoure, Burkina Faso Credit: Shutterstock/ Gilles Paire
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