biomass ruel
Fossil fuel price hikes lead to increases in indoor pollution

Negative health effects of carbon prices can outweigh the climate benefits in developing countries

Research Brief
8 October 2025

Raavi Aggarwal, Leonard Missbach, E. Somanathan, Jan Steckel, Thomas Sterner

Key Messages

  • With carbon pricing, households in most countries and regions have a tendency to change from fossil-based fuels to more traditional and polluting alternatives like firewood and charcoal.
  • Fossil fuel price hikes lead to substantial increases in indoor pollution concentrations in most countries and regions.
  • Despite compensation, local health costs of carbon pricing outweigh the global climate benefits in four out of six countries (Ghana, Honduras, India and Myanmar).
  • In two countries (Cambodia and Kenya), carbon prices generate net climate and health benefits.

Files and links

Country
Sustainable Development Goals
Publication reference
EfD Research Brief MS-1695
Publication | 8 October 2025