Reconsidering gas as clean energy: Switching to electricity for household cooking to reduce NO2-attributed disease burden

Abstract

Nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) is a prevalent air pollutant in urban areas, originating from outdoor sources, household gas consumption, and secondhand smoke. The limited evaluation of the disease burden attributable to NO₂, encompassing different health effects and contributions from various sources, impedes our understanding from a public health perspective. Based on modeled NO₂ exposure concentrations, their exposure–response relationships with lung cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and diabetes mellitus, and baseline disability-adjusted life years (DALYs), we estimated that 1,675 (655–2,624) thousand DALYs were attributable to NO₂ in urban China in 2019 [138 (54–216) billion Chinese yuan (CNY) economic losses]. The transition from gas to electricity for household cooking was estimated to reduce the attributable economic losses by 35%. This reduction falls within the range of reductions achieved when outdoor air meets the World Health Organization interim target 3 and air quality guidelines for annual NO₂, highlighting the significance of raising awareness of gas as a polluting household energy for cooking. These findings align with global sustainable development initiatives, providing a sustainable solution to promote public health while potentially mitigating climate change.