What is charcoal?

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Charcoal is an energy source made from woody biomass, usually from trees. In Europe people often only use charcoal on grills on hot summer days. In other parts of the world, charcoal is a vital energy source that supplies hundreds of millions of people around the world with fuel to cook on. For instance, more than 80% of the urban and peri-urban population in Tanzania cooks on charcoal.

Charcoal provides over 40 million people worldwide with income from charcoal production or sales. Research shows that charcoal production may prevent people from falling into poverty because the income derived from it can be used to buy food in case crop harvests fail or when people are in need of health care. Income from charcoal is often used to pay school fees, hereby indirectly supporting the education of children around the world.

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If the trees from which charcoal is produced have a chance to grow back, charcoal can be a very sustainable form of energy. Unfortunately, charcoal is often produced in an unsustainable way, causing forest degradation and even deforestation, often as a by-product of agricultural expansion. This threatens biodiversity, contributes to climate change and may cause soil erosion. Upon severe degradation of the forest, charcoal producers can no longer reap the benefits from charcoal, with negative consequences for their livelihoods.

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Teddy's Energy provides children insights in some of the many ways in which sustainable management of forests and charcoal production may be fostered, so that both nature and people thrive together.