Download Indoor Air Pollution and Energy Poverty in Armenia

Indoor Air Pollution and
Energy Poverty in Armenia
By Ripsime Jangiryan, AWHHE
CSD-15 side event organized
by WECF
May, 2nd, 2007
Armenia
Area: 29.750 sq. km
Population: 3.200.000
Capital: Yerevan
The Problem
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More than 3 billion people worldwide depend on solid
fuels, including biomass fuels (wood, dung, agricultural
residues) and coal, for their energy needs.
Cooking and heating with solid fuels on open fires or
traditional stoves results in high levels of indoor air
pollution.
Indoor smoke can lead to pollution levels 20 times higher
than accepted WHO guideline values.
In Armenia, about 50% of population live below the
poverty line and regularly use biomass fuels for heating
and cooking.
Indoor smoke contains a variety
of health-damaging pollutants:
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particles (complex mixtures of chemicals in
solid form and droplets)
carbon monoxide
nitrous oxides
sulphur oxides (mainly from coal)
formaldehyde
carcinogens (chemical substances known to
increase the risk of cancer) such as
benzo[a]pyrene and benzene.
What are the health impacts?
Indoor air pollution can lead to:
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acute lower respiratory infections
chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
lung cancer in adults
pathological changes in blood
damage of the nervous system
MDG goals (Armenia): Target 1
By 2015 reduce the poverty level lower than the
1990 level.
Indicators:
 Proportion of population below $4 per day
 GDP per capita compared to the EU average
 Family allowance budget expenditure to poverty gap
(less family allowance aggregate) ratio
 Income of the poorest quintile to the income of the
richest quintile
 Ratio of poverty level outside Yerevan to poverty
level in Yerevan
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What we have in reality…
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Rural families cannot afford to use more than 1
or 2 light bulbs or heat more than one room of
the house
People are forced to skimp on food to pay their
utility bills or to buy wood
They often just use what they can find, burning
toxic materials, manure, crop residues, plastic
bottles or other waste for warmth
What needs to be done? Potential for
fighting energy poverty
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Offer discounts on energy to those with low
income
Develop alternative energy sources and make
them available at a reasonable price
Build up the economy, agriculture and
ecotourism to create more jobs, thereby
increasing people's purchasing power
Keep populations informed about possible
impacts using mass media and by organizing
information campaigns
Policy recommendations
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To attract attention of the Government for developing
the energy policy considering social and health
aspects of poor population
Development of intersectoral partnerships: business,
government and NGO sectors
Consideration and development of alternative energy
sources
Safe maintenance of existing energy recourses until
the alternatives will become accessible
Renewable Sources of Energy situation in Armenia
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Wind
Biomass
Solar
Hydro power
In the conditions of abject poverty
people do not perceive the
information about the risk they run.
And they have no choice and have to
survive until they will be able to pay
for cleaner methods of heating which
are very expensive for them.
Ararat - Bible Mountain
Thank you!