THE announcement by Minister of Green Economy and Environment Mike Mposha that Government has stepped up measures to phase out charcoal production by promoting coal briquettes as an alternative source of cooking energy is welcome.
For decades, Zambia has been battling the devastating consequences of deforestation, driven primarily by the charcoal trade.
Today, the country ranks among those with the highest deforestation rates globally, losing hundreds of thousands of hectares of forest cover each year. Clearly, this is a national emergency.
Our forests are not only a natural heritage but also a vital shield against climate change and a lifeline for rural communities.
Yet they continue to vanish at alarming speed, sacrificed to meet the relentless demand for charcoal in urban and peri-urban households.
Charcoal has long been the dominant source of cooking energy for millions of Zambians.
Its affordability and accessibility have entrenched it as a staple fuel, despite the environmental costs.
The charcoal trade, often unregulated and illegal, has trapped Zambia in a vicious cycle. Tree cover and, with it, wildlife are being lost at an alarming rate. The country is edging closer to an environmental disaster.
This is the reason why the Government’s plan to speed up the charcoal ban and encourage people to use coal briquettes instead is an important and positive move.
But bold steps require bold follow-through. The introduction of coal briquettes, while promising, must be accompanied by a comprehensive strategy that addresses affordability, accessibility and public awareness. If briquettes remain more expensive or harder to find than charcoal, households will inevitably revert to the destructive fuel. The Government must therefore ensure that briquettes are produced locally, distributed widely and priced competitively. Subsidies, incentives for producers, and partnerships with private enterprises could make this transition smoother, even faster.
Equally important is the revision of the Forest Act, which Mr Mposha highlighted. Stronger legislation is necessary to curb illegal charcoal production, but laws alone will not suffice.
Enforcement must be consistent and uncompromising. Too often, illegal producers operate with impunity, exploiting weak monitoring systems and limited resources in forestry departments. Communities must be empowered to take ownership of forest protection, with local leaders and civil society playing a central role in monitoring and reporting violations.
The minister’s remarks about Zambia’s progress in carbon legislation and participation in the global carbon market are encouraging. Indeed, the world is changing and carbon trading presents opportunities for countries like Zambia to monetise conservation efforts. If managed transparently, carbon revenues could provide financial benefits to ordinary citizens, especially those in rural areas who bear the brunt of deforestation. However, this requires careful planning to ensure that communities are not sidelined or exploited in the process.
The message is clear: it cannot be business as usual. The environmental costs of relying on charcoal are simply too high.
Deforestation is stripping away our forests, leading to reduced rainfall and declining agricultural productivity.
Recent years have shown just how destructive climate change can be. Floods and prolonged droughts have combined to severely damage the country’s food security, culminating in the worst drought in living memory.
Such crises do more than threaten harvests – they deepen poverty and undermine livelihoods.
This is why the Government’s initiative must be embraced not just as a policy directive, but as a national movement.
Citizens must be encouraged to take the lead in protecting forests. They must be made to understand that safeguarding the forests is investing in the future of the country. Civil society organisations, schools, churches and the media all have a role to play in raising awareness and changing mindsets.
At the same time, alternatives to charcoal must go beyond coal briquettes. Renewable energy solutions such as solar cookers, biogas and improved energy-efficient stoves should be part of the mix. Diversifying energy options will reduce dependence on any single fuel and create resilience in the energy sector.
Charcoal ban: timely measure to serve forests
THE announcement by Minister of Green Economy and Environment Mike Mposha that Government has stepped up measures to phase out charcoal production by promoting coal briquettes as an alternative source of cooking energy is welcome.
For decades, Zambia has been battling the devastating consequences of deforestation, driven primarily by the charcoal trade.
Today, the country ranks among those with the highest deforestation rates globally, losing hundreds of thousands of hectares of forest cover each year. Clearly, this is a national emergency.
Our forests are not only a natural heritage but also a vital shield against climate change and a lifeline for rural communities.
Yet they continue to vanish at alarming speed, sacrificed to meet the relentless demand for charcoal in urban and peri-urban households.
Charcoal has long been the dominant source of cooking energy for millions of Zambians.
Its affordability and accessibility have entrenched it as a staple fuel, despite the environmental costs.
The charcoal trade, often unregulated and illegal, has trapped Zambia in a vicious cycle. Tree cover and, with it, wildlife are being lost at an alarming rate. The country is edging closer to an environmental disaster.
This is the reason why the Government’s plan to speed up the charcoal ban and encourage people to use coal briquettes instead is an important and positive move.
But bold steps require bold follow-through. The introduction of coal briquettes, while promising, must be accompanied by a comprehensive strategy that addresses affordability, accessibility and public awareness. If briquettes remain more expensive or harder to find than charcoal, households will inevitably revert to the destructive fuel. The Government must therefore ensure that briquettes are produced locally, distributed widely and priced competitively. Subsidies, incentives for producers, and partnerships with private enterprises could make this transition smoother, even faster.
Equally important is the revision of the Forest Act, which Mr Mposha highlighted. Stronger legislation is necessary to curb illegal charcoal production, but laws alone will not suffice.
Enforcement must be consistent and uncompromising. Too often, illegal producers operate with impunity, exploiting weak monitoring systems and limited resources in forestry departments. Communities must be empowered to take ownership of forest protection, with local leaders and civil society playing a central role in monitoring and reporting violations.
The minister’s remarks about Zambia’s progress in carbon legislation and participation in the global carbon market are encouraging. Indeed, the world is changing and carbon trading presents opportunities for countries like Zambia to monetise conservation efforts. If managed transparently, carbon revenues could provide financial benefits to ordinary citizens, especially those in rural areas who bear the brunt of deforestation. However, this requires careful planning to ensure that communities are not sidelined or exploited in the process.
The message is clear: it cannot be business as usual. The environmental costs of relying on charcoal are simply too high.
Deforestation is stripping away our forests, leading to reduced rainfall and declining agricultural productivity.
Recent years have shown just how destructive climate change can be. Floods and prolonged droughts have combined to severely damage the country’s food security, culminating in the worst drought in living memory.
Such crises do more than threaten harvests – they deepen poverty and undermine livelihoods.
This is why the Government’s initiative must be embraced not just as a policy directive, but as a national movement.
Citizens must be encouraged to take the lead in protecting forests. They must be made to understand that safeguarding the forests is investing in the future of the country. Civil society organisations, schools, churches and the media all have a role to play in raising awareness and changing mindsets.
At the same time, alternatives to charcoal must go beyond coal briquettes. Renewable energy solutions such as solar cookers, biogas and improved energy-efficient stoves should be part of the mix. Diversifying energy options will reduce dependence on any single fuel and create resilience in the energy sector.