Solid Biomass and Climate Change

Overview

For nearly 3 billion people each day cooking is conducted on open fires or rudimentary cookstoves that are fueled by

coal or solid biomass such as wood. Searching for and using solid biomass puts women and children’s safety at risk;

depletes forests, which can weaken soil causing mudslides and destroying agricultural land; and jeopardizes human

health and household and community air quality through toxic smoke emissions.

Burning solid biomass is inefficient at converting energy to heat for cooking, and releases a toxic mix of healthdamaging

pollutants that contribute to climate change at regional and global levels. In particular, some of these

pollutants, such as black carbon and methane, have short life spans but significant consequences for the climate.

Black carbon, which results from incomplete combustion, is estimated to contribute the equivalent of 25 to 50 per

cent of CO2 warming globally. Methane emissions are the second largest cause of climate change after carbon

dioxide. It is clear that inefficient household energy use has adverse consequences for the environment, air quality

and human health.