The Charcoal Project » Environment http://www.charcoalproject.org Tue, 31 Jan 2012 19:17:02 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 NEWS: World lacks enough food, fuel as population soars-UN http://www.charcoalproject.org/2012/01/news-world-lacks-enough-food-fuel-as-population-soars-un/ http://www.charcoalproject.org/2012/01/news-world-lacks-enough-food-fuel-as-population-soars-un/#comments Tue, 31 Jan 2012 19:17:02 +0000 Jean Kim Chaix http://www.charcoalproject.org/?p=4332 LONDON, Jan 30 (Reuters) - The world is running out of time to make sure there is enough food, water and energy to meet the needs of a rapidly growing population and to avoid sending up to 3 billion people into poverty, a U.N. report warned on Monday.

As the world's population looks set to grow to nearly 9 billion by 2040 from 7 billion now, and the number of middle-class consumers increases by 3 billion over the next 20 years, the demand for resources will rise exponentially.

Continue reading →]]> http://www.charcoalproject.org/2012/01/news-world-lacks-enough-food-fuel-as-population-soars-un/feed/ 0 Greenpeace Canada: Biomass energy is a real “Biomess” http://www.charcoalproject.org/2011/11/burning-trees-for-energy-puts-canadian-forests-and-climate-at-risk-greenpeace/ http://www.charcoalproject.org/2011/11/burning-trees-for-energy-puts-canadian-forests-and-climate-at-risk-greenpeace/#comments Tue, 08 Nov 2011 12:08:22 +0000 Jean Kim Chaix http://www.charcoalproject.org/?p=4113 Greenpeace Canada just released a report that questions the country's current wood energy industry, its practices, and its impact on the environment and climate change. The report suggests that "burning woody biomass on an industrial scale could severely harm Canada's public forests and further contribute to the global climate crisis." 

Read the report and tell us what YOU think!

Continue reading →]]> http://www.charcoalproject.org/2011/11/burning-trees-for-energy-puts-canadian-forests-and-climate-at-risk-greenpeace/feed/ 0 NEWS: Uganda flirting with charcoal energy crisis http://www.charcoalproject.org/2011/09/news-uganda-flirting-with-charcoal-energy-crisis/ http://www.charcoalproject.org/2011/09/news-uganda-flirting-with-charcoal-energy-crisis/#comments Tue, 13 Sep 2011 18:08:46 +0000 Jean Kim Chaix http://www.charcoalproject.org/?p=4041 We're in Johannesburg this week to present a vision of hope to Africa's Energy Minister, especially those in sub-Saharan Africa with populations that depend heavily on unsustainable charcoal production and consumption.

Continue reading →]]> http://www.charcoalproject.org/2011/09/news-uganda-flirting-with-charcoal-energy-crisis/feed/ 1 VIDEO: The charcoal problem in Tanzania compellingly explained http://www.charcoalproject.org/2011/08/video-the-charcoal-problem-in-tanzania-compellingly-explained/ http://www.charcoalproject.org/2011/08/video-the-charcoal-problem-in-tanzania-compellingly-explained/#comments Wed, 24 Aug 2011 13:20:53 +0000 Jean Kim Chaix http://www.charcoalproject.org/?p=3970 Dar es Salaam consumes the equivalent of 16 olympic pools in charcoal every day. This figure is increasing daily as rural populations migrate to urban centers. At $350 million per year, charcoal is big business, too.

This great video produced by the World Bank last year (2010) lays out the issue in a way that is well-documented and visually compelling.

Continue reading →]]> http://www.charcoalproject.org/2011/08/video-the-charcoal-problem-in-tanzania-compellingly-explained/feed/ 2 VIDEO: How the woodfuel shortage is affecting East African schools & community http://www.charcoalproject.org/2011/08/video-how-the-woodfuel-shortage-is-affecting-east-african-schools-community/ http://www.charcoalproject.org/2011/08/video-how-the-woodfuel-shortage-is-affecting-east-african-schools-community/#comments Wed, 17 Aug 2011 13:23:28 +0000 Jean Kim Chaix http://www.charcoalproject.org/?p=3949 Continue reading →]]> http://www.charcoalproject.org/2011/08/video-how-the-woodfuel-shortage-is-affecting-east-african-schools-community/feed/ 1 Sustainable charcoal production in Africa can protect ecosystems, provide jobs. http://www.charcoalproject.org/2011/08/sustainable-charcoal-production-in-africa-can-protect-ecosystems-provide-jobs/ http://www.charcoalproject.org/2011/08/sustainable-charcoal-production-in-africa-can-protect-ecosystems-provide-jobs/#comments Tue, 09 Aug 2011 15:32:28 +0000 Jean Kim Chaix http://www.charcoalproject.org/?p=3922 The charcoal industry has great potential to contribute to rural development because production utilizes locally available and potentially renewable resources.

The charcoal industry can generate employment and local income in both rural and urban areas.

-- Dr. Emmanuel Chidumayo, Zambia.

Continue reading →]]> http://www.charcoalproject.org/2011/08/sustainable-charcoal-production-in-africa-can-protect-ecosystems-provide-jobs/feed/ 1 NEWS: Clean cookstoves promote sustainability of local resources http://www.charcoalproject.org/2011/07/news-clean-cookstoves-promote-sustainability-of-local-resources/ http://www.charcoalproject.org/2011/07/news-clean-cookstoves-promote-sustainability-of-local-resources/#comments Wed, 20 Jul 2011 20:00:55 +0000 Jean Kim Chaix http://www.charcoalproject.org/?p=3824 “Many people believe that wood energy is a main driver for deforestation, though deforestation and forest degradation at a global level is rather a consequence of conversion of the forests for agricultural purposes such as large scale productions for pasture, oil palms, soy beans, or for subsistence production,” Florian Steierer, forestry officer of wood energy at the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations.

Continue reading →]]> http://www.charcoalproject.org/2011/07/news-clean-cookstoves-promote-sustainability-of-local-resources/feed/ 0 NEWS: Tanzania’s burning question: Can REDD succeed amid a charcoal addiction? http://www.charcoalproject.org/2011/06/news-tanzania%e2%80%99s-burning-question-can-redd-succeed-amid-a-charcoal-addiction/ http://www.charcoalproject.org/2011/06/news-tanzania%e2%80%99s-burning-question-can-redd-succeed-amid-a-charcoal-addiction/#comments Tue, 28 Jun 2011 20:56:08 +0000 Jean Kim Chaix http://www.charcoalproject.org/?p=3776 Policy discussions around forests and climate change frequently refer to charcoal production as one of the main culprits of deforestation and forest carbon emissions. This is explicitly articulated in the Tanzanian Draft National Strategy for Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+) published in January 2011. Future “business as usual” scenarios predict a worsening of the situation.

Continue reading →]]> http://www.charcoalproject.org/2011/06/news-tanzania%e2%80%99s-burning-question-can-redd-succeed-amid-a-charcoal-addiction/feed/ 0 REDD and the Law of Unintended Consequences http://www.charcoalproject.org/2011/06/3752/ http://www.charcoalproject.org/2011/06/3752/#comments Fri, 03 Jun 2011 18:54:11 +0000 Jean Kim Chaix http://www.charcoalproject.org/?p=3752 Climate change is likely to adversely affect the poorest people in the developing world. But solutions like REDD could end up hurting them as well.

Continue reading →]]> http://www.charcoalproject.org/2011/06/3752/feed/ 4 The journey to sustainable solid biomass fuel production & consumption begins June 15th http://www.charcoalproject.org/2011/06/the-journey-to-sustainable-solid-biomass-fuel-production-consumption-begins-june-15th/ http://www.charcoalproject.org/2011/06/the-journey-to-sustainable-solid-biomass-fuel-production-consumption-begins-june-15th/#comments Thu, 02 Jun 2011 18:40:28 +0000 Jean Kim Chaix http://www.charcoalproject.org/?p=3738 On June 15th, representatives from new energy companies, climate finance, governments, development agencies, multi-lateral banks, and NGOs will meet in Arusha, Tanzania, to begin discussions on a blueprint that will make woodfuels, charcoal, and other solid biomass fuels a truly renewable energy choice for developing countries.

Continue reading →]]> http://www.charcoalproject.org/2011/06/the-journey-to-sustainable-solid-biomass-fuel-production-consumption-begins-june-15th/feed/ 4