Indoor air pollution isn’t just a concern for homes with wood-burning stoves or poorly ventilated kitchens in the UK — it’s a worldwide public health issue. A new study shows that indoor air pollution contributes substantially to premature death across countries, from high-income nations to low- and middle-income regions.
The study was carried out by Dr Avidesh Seenath, Course Director, MSc Environmental Change and Policy, at the ECI and Dr Scott Mahadeo, University of Reading. Their research highlights that, while sources of pollution differ — from domestic heating in advanced economies to solid-fuel cooking in developing countries — the health impacts are similar. Access to clean household energy, reliable electricity, and strong health systems consistently reduces mortality risk, while energy deprivation and limited healthcare increase it.
By framing indoor air pollution as a shared global challenge, the study underscores the importance of energy policy, housing standards, and public health infrastructure alongside individual behaviours in reducing risk. Dr Seenath said:
Our results show a clear and consistent pattern…These patterns help explain why air pollution deaths remain concentrated in emerging and developing economies, while advanced economies experience far fewer deaths, even though air pollution has not disappeared. They also show that indoor and outdoor air pollution cannot be treated as separate problems, because both reflect how energy is produced, used and regulated.”
Read the full article on The Conversation: Indoor air pollution is a global health issue, not just a domestic heating one
The article has already garnered global interest with Dr Seenath being interviewed on CKNW, a commercial radio station in Vancouver, Canada. Listen back to the interview.