Dispelling common misconceptions to improve attitudes and policy outlook on charcoal in developing countries

Mwampamba, Tuyeni H.; Ghilardi, Adrián; Sander, Klas; Chaix, Kim Jean

doi:10.1016/j.esd.2013.01.001

Cited by 131 publications

(145 citation statements)

References 52 publications

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“…Perceptions of the charcoal-forest nexus have focused on forests as an input to charcoal production, and the impact, thereof, in terms of deforestation and forest degradation (Msuya et al, 2011;Mwampamba et al, 2013;Owen et al, 2013). Less attention has been paid to the potential for charcoal to generate revenues for sustainable natural woodland management, thereby contributing to the retention of forest cover.…”

Section: Charcoal and The Forestry Sectormentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Mwampamba et al (2013) identified five misconceptions about charcoal that are held by policy-makers and other stakeholders, despite evidence that runs counter to those perceptions. These include beliefs that: charcoal is an energy source primarily for the poor; that charcoal use for cooking will decrease automatically, as a country becomes more developed; that charcoal production causes deforestation; that the charcoal sector is economically irrelevant; and that improved charcoal cook stoves mitigate deforestation.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Various authors, including Mwampamba et al (2013) and Sander et al (2013), have highlighted policy-related barriers to improving the sustainability of charcoal production in Tanzania. In this study, we retain their focus on Tanzania whilst defining more precisely those policy-related barriers.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Sixty-one percent of current global production occurs in Africa (FAO, 2016), primarily to satisfy demand for cooking fuel from urban and peri-urban households (Mwampamba et al, 2013;d'Agostino et al, 2015). With Africa's population projected to double between and 2050(UN, 2015, and with increased rural-urban migration in key producing countries, including Tanzania, Ethiopia, and Nigeria (FAO, 2016), demand for charcoal is projected to increase.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The Marginalization of Sustainable Charcoal Production in the Policies of a Modernizing African Nation

Doggart

Meshack

2017

Front. Environ. Sci.

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Charcoal is the main cooking fuel for urban populations in many African countries. Urbanization and population growth are driving an increase in demand for charcoal, whilst deforestation reduces biomass stocks. Given increasing demand for charcoal, and decreasing availability of biomass, policies are urgently needed that ensure secure energy supplies for urban households and reduce deforestation. There is potential for charcoal to be produced sustainably in natural woodlands, but this requires supportive policies. Previous research has identified policy issues that have contributed to the charcoal sector remaining informal and environmentally destructive. In this paper, we describe how national policies in Tanzania on energy, forests, agriculture, land, and water, consider charcoal, and the degree to which they do, and do not, support sustainable charcoal production. The paper identifies policy gaps and a cross-sector tendency to marginalize natural forest management. By adopting a nexus approach, the paper highlights the inter-connections between sustainable charcoal production, ecosystem services, and trade-offs in the allocation of land, labor, and net primary production. In conclusion, sustainable charcoal production has been marginalized in multiple national policies. As a result, potential benefits of sustainable charcoal production are lost to multiple sectors.

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Section: Charcoal and The Forestry Sectormentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The Marginalization of Sustainable Charcoal Production in the Policies of a Modernizing African Nation

Doggart

Meshack

2017

Front. Environ. Sci.

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“…Charcoal production is considered the major cause of deforestation, mostly on account of unsustainable harvesting and inefficient production techniques [6], [7]. For instance, Manuscript received May 25 2014; revised July 17, 2014.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Choice Experiment Study on Fuel Preference of Kibera Slum Households in Kenya

Yonemitsu¹,

Njenga²,

Iiyama³

et al. 2015

IJESD

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Abstract-In Kenya, charcoalis an important energy resource for cooking. As better energy alternatives become available and affordable in developing countries, households tend to switch from traditional biomass to modern fuels such as liquid petroleum gas, kerosene, and electricity.Meanwhile, fuel briquettes recycled from charcoal dust are gaining popularity as alternate fuel in urban poor households. The valuing of energy services is important for policy planning and for improving the socioeconomic conditions and environments of households. The objective of this study is to better understand the relative importance of fuel substitution, especially with regard to charcoal, fuel briquettes, and kerosene, and the factors associated with their choice. To estimate the product-specific factors, we conduct a choice experiment study in Kibera slums of Nairobi, Kenya, by applying a conditional logit model and random parameter logit model. The study revealed household preferences for modern energy sources and several characteristics affecting consumer choice.

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Misinformation and How to Correct It

Cook

Ecker²,

Lewandowsky³

2015

Emerging Trends in the Social and Behavioral Sciences

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The increasing prevalence of misinformation in society may adversely affect democratic decision making, which depends on a well-informed public. False information can originate from a number of sources including rumors, literary fiction, mainstream media, corporate-vested interests, governments, and nongovernmental organizations. The rise of the Internet and user-driven content has provided a venue for quick and broad dissemination of information, not all of which is accurate. Consequently, a large body of research spanning a number of disciplines has sought to understand misinformation and determine which interventions are most effective in reducing its influence. This essay summarizes research into misinformation, bringing together studies from psychology, political science, education, and computer science. Cognitive psychology investigates why individuals struggle with correcting misinformation and inaccurate beliefs, and why myths are so difficult to dislodge. Two important findings involve (i) various "backfire effects," which arise when refutations ironically reinforce misconceptions, and (ii) the role of worldviews in accentuating the persistence of misinformation. Computer scientists simulate the spread of misinformation through social networks and develop algorithms to automatically detect or neutralize myths. We draw together various research threads to provide guidelines on how to effectively refute misconceptions without risking backfire effects.

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Dispelling common misconceptions to improve attitudes and policy outlook on charcoal in developing countries

Cited by 131 publications

References 52 publications

The Marginalization of Sustainable Charcoal Production in the Policies of a Modernizing African Nation

The Marginalization of Sustainable Charcoal Production in the Policies of a Modernizing African Nation

A Choice Experiment Study on Fuel Preference of Kibera Slum Households in Kenya

Misinformation and How to Correct It

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