Abstract
Around the world, charcoal has persisted as an energy resource and retained unequivocal dominance in the energy consumption mix of some nations many years on since modern alternatives were invented. Furthermore, it has secured unyielding significance as a commodity on local and international markets and remained an aggressive competitor to electricity and gas for cooking. Here, we analyze the charcoal supply chain and highlight the rudimentary production techniques common within the sub-Saharan region, using Uganda as an example. Top global producers, importers, and exporters are discussed and, based on fieldwork from ten locations in Uganda, we describe common trade practices, economic contributions and the realities of charcoal consumption in areas with concentrated grid and electricity coverage. Indeed, forest degradation and deforestation in the charcoal trade is indiscriminate and the world’s top producers and exporters of charcoal do not necessarily have vast forest resources. Pyrolysis, the process used to produce charcoal from wood, exacerbates risks of wild fires and deteriorates air quality. Our fieldwork indicates that little to no innovation exists to manage waste materials such as ash and polluting gases along the supply chain. Recommendations for the future include better forest conservation practices and more innovation at the cooking level, because effects of localized environmental degradation inevitably lead to negative impacts beyond geographical borders.
Highlights
All over the world, demand for energy has exacerbated human dependence on natural resources [1].According to the United Nations’ Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO), more than 50% of wood from forests worldwide is used for energy production [2]
Charcoal production is associated with environmental degradation, including deforestation [4], which is highest in Africa, followed by Latin America and the Caribbean [5]
Recognizing that application of machinery accelerates deforestation compared to manual cutting, our research showed that the use of chain saws has been made illegal in many parts of Uganda, including the Nwoya and Mityana Districts, enforcement is hard [15]
Summary
According to the United Nations’ Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO), more than 50% of wood from forests worldwide is used for energy production [2]. In 2017, 51.2 Million tons (Mt) of wood charcoal were produced globally, up from 37.0 Mt in 2000 [3]. From 1993 to 2017, the largest average amounts of charcoal were produced annually in Africa (24.6 Mt), with 57% of the global production, followed by the Americas (23%, mostly Latin America), and Asia (18%; Figure 1a). Charcoal production is associated with environmental degradation, including deforestation [4], which is highest in Africa, followed by Latin America and the Caribbean [5]. In Europe and North America, consumption of charcoal is less conspicuous, but present
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