Experts Call for Sustainable Charcoal Production Instead of Bans

Environmental experts have said there is need for sustainable charcoal production mechanisms, instead bans.

Speaking during a forum on 10+ Years of Forest and Climate Action in Uganda: Lessons and Knowledge Sharing from European Union-Funded Projects” at Mestil Hotel in Kampala, experts from the Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR) and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) said it is high time governments changed the approach on charcoal.

“Let’s stop lying to ourselves, charcoal is not going anywhere soon We need to acknowledge its importance in energy access and start building efficient, legal, and climate-sensitive charcoal value chains,” said Dr. Phosiso Sola, CIFOR’s team lead for natural resource governance and livelihoods development.

She said with million of households in Africa using charcoal as their primary source of fuel, doing away with it is a hard toll.

“From 2000 to 2016, charcoal production across Africa did not decrease, it instead rose steadily. Even where bans exist, charcoal crosses borders as long as there is demand.”

“One country’s restriction becomes another’s burden. We must coordinate at the regional level or risk simply shifting environmental degradation across borders.”

The expert said despite the growing movement for clean energy, alternative sources of fuel away from charcoal are not many, noting that it is high time the strategy changed from banning to sustainable charcoal production.

“Transitioning to clean energy is a long way off. But while we wait, there are urgent short-term actions we can take.”

Dr.Sola called for use of more efficient cooking stoves that reduce fuel(charcoal) consumption and this way, pressure on forests will be reduced.

She also called for regional coordination to avoid problems where one country bans charcoal production and the problem shifts to another country.

According to Leonidas Hitimana, the head of forestry at FAO Uganda said it is high time for the region to face the reality.

“We are not going to run away from charcoal for at least 20 years but it’s possible to produce it in ways that do not harm the environment,” Hitimana said.

According to experts, blanket charcoal bans will not solve the problem but rather sustainable production will.

Yergalem Beraki, the interim FAO Representative in Uganda called for partnership, innovation and inclusiveness to deal with the problem of climate change.

“Let us leverage the lessons we have learned to ensure that every household in Uganda has access to clean, sustainable cooking energy, that farmers have access to climate resilient crops and livestock, and that our natural resources are restored and conserved for a better future where humanity can thrive,” Beraki said.