A third of the world's population uses solid fuel derived from plant material (biomass) or coal for cooking, heating, or lighting. These fuels are smoky, often used in an open fire or simple stove with incomplete combustion, and result in a large amount of household air pollution when smoke is poorly vented. Air pollution is the biggest environmental cause of death worldwide, with household air pollution accounting for about 3·5—4 million deaths every year. Women and children living in severe poverty have the greatest exposures to household air pollution.

Household air pollution remains a dominant health risk, particularly in South Asia. Increasing international attention has focused on improved cookstoves (ICS) as a vehicle for reducing household air pollution, regional environmental and climate impacts. Biogas plants are a type of improved cooking technology.

Likuwapokhari VDC in Khotang district has been declared the Indoor Smoke-Free VDC.

Agroforestry provides a living for at least 1.2 billion people—approximately a sixth of humanity —and nearly all of us use and consume some of the goods and services it provides.

Government policies that improve energy efficiency, waste management and public transport could increase global economic output by more than $1.8 trillion per year says this new report released by World Bank & ClimateWorks Foundation in advance of the U.N. Secretary General's Climate Summit in September 2014.

Biochar is the carbon-rich organic matter that remains after heating biomass under minimization of oxygen during a process called pyrolysis. Biochar is relevant to deforestation, agricultural resilience, and energy production, particularly in developing countries.

Having acquired skills to build clay brick stoves, non-formal education instructor Phuntsho Rabten aspires to impart his skills to those in his village in Lhuentse.

Efforts to bring cleaner, more efficient stoves to the billions of people who use traditional biomass for cooking and heating have gained new momentum in recent years, driven both by longstanding health and environmental concerns, and by a growing recognition of the importance of modern energy access for development.

Smart stoves for smart cooks - a presentation by Mouhsine Serrar, PRAKTI at Anil Agarwal Dialogue 2014: Energy Access and Renewable Energy, February 27-28, 2014, New Delhi.

Why uptake of Improved Cook Stoves and Biogas plants has been slow in rural India? - a presentation by Priyadarshini Karve, Samuchit Enviro Tech at Anil Agarwal Dialogue 2014: Energy Access and Renewable Energy, February 27-28, 2014, New Delhi.

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