IPORA - Transdisciplinary international research network

Overall motivation

Air pollution is a growing environmental concern and a major global health threat. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), exposure to outdoor and household air pollution causes around 7 million premature deaths every year. In 2019, 99% of the world’s population lived in areas where air pollution exceeded WHO air quality guidelines. Air pollution contributes to chronic respiratory diseases, lung cancer, and cardiovascular conditions. The burden is particularly high in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), which account for the vast majority of premature deaths related to indoor and outdoor pollution.

Children are especially vulnerable. Because their organs are still developing and their respiratory rates are higher than adults, exposure to polluted air can impair lung development, reduce pulmonary function, and increase the risk of respiratory infections and asthma.

Household air pollution in particular remains a major challenge in many LMICs, where around 3 billion people still rely on biomass fuels such as wood, charcoal or agricultural residues for cooking and heating. In poorly ventilated homes, these fuels can produce particulate matter concentrations far above WHO recommended thresholds. Combined with emissions from traffic and commercial activities, as well as desert dust, domestic use of biomass fuels also contributes to alarmingly high levels of ambient air pollution in African cities.

Despite its health impact, air pollution remains insufficiently addressed in many countries due to limited monitoring systems, weak regulations, and competing public health priorities.

Integrated activities

This axis brings together IPORA members from several different disciplines and countries who capitalize on their expertise to fill knowledge gaps and develop new solutions to address the health and socio-economic impacts of air pollution.

The objective of the axis is to conduct interdisciplinary research on the impact of pollution on respiratory health in children and their family entourage, and, more broadly on the well-being of populations. The research agenda includes the development of large-scale complex interventions to mitigate household air pollution and its health impacts, as well as observational quasi-experimental studies to evaluate new dimensions of the air pollution – human development nexus.

Examples of research topics addressed by the axis include:

the potential of electric cooking (e-cooking) to curb air pollution from cooking activities in African cities.
the impact of exposure to particulate matter from cooking fuels on children’s lung function and the potential of improved cooking technologies to mitigate this impact.
the effect of air pollution on gender inequalities in labor supply in African countries.

Academic validation

During the first cycle of IPORA funding, this research axis generated significant scientific and collaborative outputs. Researchers published or presented nine articles based on IPORA seed projects or earlier initiatives that benefited from IPORA’s interdisciplinary collaboration. Four IPORA-funded seed projects were developed and implemented, while new projects were prepared with international partners, including research institutions in the Netherlands, Germany, Slovakia and France. External funding was successfully secured for a research project on the adoption potential of e-cooking in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, and one PhD project was initiated.

These activities also contributed to the creation of REALLITYS, a new IRD-funded research network bringing together nine French research teams and thirteen partner institutions in five African countries. The network studies the links between air quality and respiratory health in African cities in order to support evidence-based policies and contribute to the development of healthier and more sustainable urban environments.

Associated projects

Fighting air pollution by promoting electric cooking in Abidjan

This pilot study in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, evaluates whether subsidizing and promoting electric pressure cookers can reduce household air pollution, fuel consumption, and women’s exposure to harmful pollutants, while exploring potential health benefits for mothers and children.

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Health impacts of household air pollutants of emerging concern in children, adolescents and youth– Characterization, behaviour change interventions, and integration into policy and practices

Explore the impact of household air pollutants on childrens respiratory health, delving into characterization, behaviour change, and policy integration. Focuses on emerging concerns like ultrafine particles and microplastics, aiming to develop mitigation guidelines and tools

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Respiratory disorders in children exposed to air pollution in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire – long-term follow-up

Study on the long-term impact of air and indoor pollution on respiratory disorders in children in Abidjan, Côte dIvoire, highlighting the dire health consequences of environmental contaminants.

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Respiratory health in children exposed to air pollution from biomass combustion at home or during maternal professional activities in Abidjan, Ivory Coast.

Study on the respiratory health of children in Abidjan exposed to air pollution from biomass combustion at home or during maternal professional activities, and its impacts. Focuses on those under 15, assessing health status, exposure levels, and awareness.

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