Malawi - Scaling up clean cooking energy solutions in Malawi with the support of the CHEST tool

Rationale

Household air pollution remains a significant environmental health risk globally and in Malawi, contributing to a range of serious health conditions such as cardiovascular disease, stroke, acute lower respiratory infections, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and lung cancer. It also contributes to ambient air pollution and climate change. Despite global efforts, nearly one-third of the world’s population still lacks access to clean cooking fuels and technologies, leading to over three million premature deaths annually. In Malawi, affordable clean cooking solutions are largely limited to urban areas, while most rural households continue to rely on traditional three-stone fires that consume more firewood and expose women and children to heightened health risks.

Recognizing the urgent need for evidence-based health guidance and multisectoral coordination, the World Health Organization developed the first-ever health-based guidelines for indoor air quality focused on household fuel combustion. These guidelines offer technical recommendations on clean fuels and technologies and policy advice to maximize health protection during the transition to clean energy.

To facilitate implementation of these guidelines, WHO created the Clean Household Energy Solutions Toolkit (CHEST), a comprehensive resource built on rigorous scientific evidence and expert consultations. CHEST supports countries in adopting the indoor air quality guidelines, helping them meet commitments under World Health Assembly resolutions WHA68.8 and WHA A69/18, as well as contributing to Sustainable Development Goals 3 (Good Health and Well-being) and 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy). The toolkit aligns with WHO’s broader global health and environment priorities, including the Global Programme of Work-13 and the Libreville Declaration on Health and Environment, providing structured guidance to policy-makers across sectors to increase access to clean household energy and reduce the health and environmental burdens of household air pollution.

Objectives

• To support the Government of Malawi in adopting a policy to reduce household air pollution and short-lived climate pollutants (SLCPs) from combustion sources, promoting a clean household energy transition through the adaptation and implementation of the Clean Household Energy Solutions Toolkit (CHEST) and the Household Energy Assessment Rapid Tool (HEART).

• To increase the understanding of household air pollution impacts and policy options among relevant government authorities through conducting a detailed, country-specific HEART assessment that informs cost-benefit analyses and roadmaps toward universal access to clean cooking and net zero emissions.

• To validate and disseminate the HEART assessment findings to government staff and stakeholders, ensuring alignment with national policies and fostering broad stakeholder engagement.

• To strengthen government capacity through training of trainers on CHEST Module 5 (Engaging the Health Community) and the Action to Reduce Household Air Pollution (BAR-HAP) Tool, equipping national teams with the knowledge and tools needed to address health impacts and promote effective household air pollution mitigation strategies.