January 2010

Some 1.35 million tonnes of charcoal worth about $400 million USD were sold and shipped around the world in 2007.

This means that somewhere, 5.4 million tons of wood where chopped down to make charcoal for export. With the exception of one seller in our research who described his product as coming from a “wild native” forest, none of the other traders indicated the source of their raw material.

The timber industry, retailers, and consumers have embraced certification schemes (FSC, SFI) for timber and finished wood products.

Isn’t it time we considered something similar for the international trade in wood charcoal?

I did not attend Copenhagen but I did follow news stories from many sources.  Below are some of the more widely held conclusions as well as a quick analysis of what this means for energy efficiency, REDD, and energy poverty alleviation. 1. A deal appeared to be within striking distance but it was scuttled by

And we’re baaack! It’s 2010, where do we start? Pick up with the qualified fiasco that was Copenhagen? Where does that leave REDD and forests? What will happen with the dangling carrot of financing for forest protection in the tropical belt? What are the prospects of a deal in 2010? Will 2010 see expanded energy