Indoor Air Pollution and Energy Poverty in Armenia By Ripsime Jangiryan, AWHHE CSD-15 side event organized by WECF May, 2 nd, 2007

Armenia Area: sq. km Population: Capital: Yerevan

The Problem 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: 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: 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

What we have in reality… 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 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 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 Wind Wind Biomass Biomass Solar Solar Hydro power 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.

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Thank you!