A new assessment suggests that cutting reliance on wood burning stoves could save nearly half a million African lives each year. This insight comes from a study associated with the Royal Institute of Technology, highlighting the profound health benefits of cleaner heating options in developing regions.
Many homes across Africa and other parts of the developing world still rely on traditional wood and coal stoves. While these stoves may offer immediate warmth and affordable fuel, the balance between their advantages and the long term costs varies by place. Burning wood contributes to respiratory problems because the fires are often poorly vented and people spend significant time gathering fuel, reducing time for other essential activities and increasing household stress.
Researchers used OnStove software to run detailed simulations and found that replacing traditional wood and coal stoves in sub-Saharan Africa could avert as many as 463,000 deaths each year. At the same time, healthcare expenses could be slashed by around 66 billion dollars. To reach this outcome, an initial net capital investment of about 7.5 billion dollars would be needed to supply alternatives such as natural gas and electric stoves, along with upgrades to wood stoves that safely direct emissions away from living areas and provide safer, cleaner burn efficiencies.
The study frames the investment as a small fraction of global energy spending. It notes that 0.5 percent of worldwide energy investment would be sufficient to drive the transition to healthier cooking and heating options, with the long term payoff measured in improved lives, reduced disease burden, and lower medical costs across affected regions.
In the broader context of sustainable energy solutions, this research underscores a practical pathway for improving indoor air quality and public health while advancing energy equity. It suggests that strategic funding and scalable technology adoption can yield meaningful health dividends without compromising affordability for families across sub-Saharan Africa and other developing areas.