Microsoft Word - SEI-desk-study-2015-cookstoves-central-america.docx

This desk study by the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI), commissioned by the World Bank, examines the relationship between improved cookstoves (ICS), indoor air quality, and health outcomes in Central America. It evaluates the technical performance of various stove models, analyzes factors that drive or hinder household adoption, and compares results against World Health Organization (WHO) air quality guidelines.

• Household air pollution (HAP) causes approximately 37,000 premature deaths annually in Central America, primarily affecting women and children. In Guatemala, lower respiratory infections were the leading cause of Disability Adjusted Life Years (DALYs) in 2010.
• Self-reported data from 30 stove models indicate that improved cookstoves generally reduce CO emissions by an average of 59% and particulate matter (PM) by 95% compared to open fires. However, the authors caution that these figures are based on uncertified self-reports and lab performance often differs from field performance.
• While improved cookstoves significantly reduce indoor air pollution concentrations, they often fail to reduce personal exposure to levels that meet WHO guidelines. For example, the RESPIRE study in Guatemala showed a 90% reduction in indoor CO concentrations but only a 50% reduction in personal exposure.
• Improved cookstoves in Central America are often more expensive than models in Asia or Africa because they must include a "plancha" (griddle) for baking tortillas, a regional staple food.
• Successful household adoption of ICS is linked to user-centered design, comprehensive training, community involvement, and the availability of after-sales services. Six technologies showed sustained use, including the Onil and Justa models, with adoption rates between 69% and 100%.
• The study identifies a critical lack of longitudinal evidence and comprehensive studies on the sustained household adoption of improved cookstoves over time in Central America, noting that evaluation lags behind other regions like Kenya.

APA

Stockholm Environment Institute (n.d.). Microsoft Word - SEI-desk-study-2015-cookstoves-central-america.docx. https://www.sei.org/mediamanager/documents/Publications/SEI-desk-study-2015-cookstoves-central-america.pdf

Chicago

Stockholm Environment Institute. Microsoft Word - SEI-desk-study-2015-cookstoves-central-america.docx. n.d. https://www.sei.org/mediamanager/documents/Publications/SEI-desk-study-2015-cookstoves-central-america.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Stockholm Environment Institute |title=Microsoft Word - SEI-desk-study-2015-cookstoves-central-america.docx |url=https://www.sei.org/mediamanager/documents/Publications/SEI-desk-study-2015-cookstoves-central-america.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{stockholmenvironmentinstitutendmicrosoft, author = {{Stockholm Environment Institute}}, title = {{Microsoft Word - SEI-desk-study-2015-cookstoves-central-america.docx}}, institution = {Stockholm Environment Institute}, url = {https://www.sei.org/mediamanager/documents/Publications/SEI-desk-study-2015-cookstoves-central-america.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }