Black Carbon Emissions from Kerosene Lamps

The report highlights that kerosene lamps emit significantly more black carbon than previously estimated, contributing to global warming and severe health risks. It argues that replacing these lamps with solar LED and other off-grid alternatives is a cost-effective climate mitigation strategy with substantial co-benefits. While many initiatives already exist, the report suggests the CCAC could add value by raising high-level awareness, promoting quality standards, and supporting finance for SMEs and consumers, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia.

• Kerosene lamps are significant sources of black carbon, emitting 20 times more than previous estimates, with 7-9% of the burned fuel converted into black carbon particles.
• Global annual black carbon emissions from kerosene lamps are estimated at at least 270,000 tons, which has a warming equivalent of approximately 240 million tons of CO2.
• The climate impact of kerosene lamps varies by lamp type; simple wick lamps produce substantially more black carbon than glass-enclosed hurricane or pressurized mantle lamps.
• Replacing kerosene lamps with solar LED lighting is considered a low-cost, rapid climate benefit; total investment to replace them worldwide by 2030 is estimated at less than $200 billion, potentially saving over $800 billion in fuel and charging costs.
• Kerosene lamp use causes severe health and safety issues, including impaired lung function, respiratory disease, and high risks of fire; in India, 2.5 million people suffer severe burns annually from overturned lamps, and in Nigeria, thousands are maimed yearly by lamp explosions.
• Market barriers to adopting off-grid lighting include a lack of consumer and commercial finance, poor product quality, absence of after-sales services, and policy hurdles such as kerosene subsidies and high import duties (ranging from 5-30% in some cases).
• Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia contain more than 95% of the world's population without electricity; Africa's un-electrified population is projected to grow to nearly 700 million by 2030.
• India has the highest total black carbon emissions from kerosene lamps due to the sheer volume of use, while Ethiopia has high emissions relative to its lamp stock because nearly 80% of its lamps are the high-emitting simple wick variety.
• The report recommends that a potential CCAC initiative should avoid product giveaways, which can be unsustainable and disrupt markets, and instead focus on scaling existing programs, promoting IEC quality standards, and improving scientific data on burn rates and lamp usage.

APA

Tedsen, E. (2013). Black Carbon Emissions from Kerosene Lamps. Clean Air Task Force. https://cdn.catf.us/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/21093654/201311-Black-carbon-and-kerosene-lamps.pdf

Chicago

Tedsen, Elizabeth. Black Carbon Emissions from Kerosene Lamps. Clean Air Task Force, 2013. https://cdn.catf.us/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/21093654/201311-Black-carbon-and-kerosene-lamps.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Tedsen |first1=Elizabeth |title=Black Carbon Emissions from Kerosene Lamps |publisher=Clean Air Task Force |date=November 2013 |url=https://cdn.catf.us/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/21093654/201311-Black-carbon-and-kerosene-lamps.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{tedsen2013black, author = {Tedsen, Elizabeth}, title = {{Black Carbon Emissions from Kerosene Lamps}}, institution = {Clean Air Task Force}, year = {2013}, month = nov, url = {https://cdn.catf.us/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/21093654/201311-Black-carbon-and-kerosene-lamps.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }