Effects of Norwegian wood stove use on climate and human health

Wood stoves are important to Nordic energy systems and cultural traditions, yet their emissions of short-lived climate pollutants (SLCPs) damage both climate and human health, raising concerns about wood stove use in society. However, the effects are hard to quantify because they involve complex atmospheric mechanisms, limiting accurate impact assessments, technology evaluations, and effective policy measures. This study combines experimental SLCP emission data from three stove generations with spatially-explicit impact assessment models to assess climate and health impacts at unit and national level in Norway, a country with widespread use of residential wood stoves. Climate effects are evaluated for SLCPs and greenhouse gases across multiple metrics, while health effects are expressed in disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) from particulate matter–related cardiovascular diseases. New-generation stoves reduce climate impact by 42% (to 64 ± 16 g CO₂-eq/MJ) and health effects by 83% compared to the oldest models. Black carbon (BC) dominates warming and it doubles the total impact in the Arctic relative to northern midlatitudes. While wood stoves have higher short-term climate effects than heating alternatives, they perform better over longer horizons. At the national level, impacts are 0.82 Mt. CO₂-eq annually (≈2% of Norway's total emissions), with 42% in spring, and 1031 DALYs, primarily from fine particulate matter. The results reveal strong seasonal and spatial variation, demonstrating the value of our high-resolution approach and highlight the environmental advantages of newer stoves, supporting substitution efforts. Reducing BC emissions remains a priority in future stove designs to mitigate both climate and health impacts. © 2026