CTPD welcomes plans to develop the National Charcoal Transition Strategy
Solomon Mwampikita (Mr) Lead Researcher-Land, Environment & Climate Change Centre for Trade Policy and Development (CTPD)
Wednesday, November 19, 2025 Press Statement
LUSAKA —The Centre for Trade Policy and Development (CTPD) commends the Zambian government, particularly the Ministry of Green Economy and Climate Change (MGECC), for initiating the development of a National Charcoal Transition Strategy. This is a timely and necessary policy action crucial for aligning the country’s development with the National Green Growth Strategy and reversing the alarmingly high rate of deforestation, estimated at 250-300 hectares annually.
Wood fuel, such as charcoal and firewood, remains the main cooking energy source for over 80% of Zambian households and provides vital income for numerous rural families. However, this heavy reliance is the single greatest driver of forest degradation, rapidly depleting natural capital and worsening the effects of climate change, like droughts, which subsequently cripple agriculture and hydro-power generation.
CTPD applauds the Ministry of Green Economy and Climate Change for acknowledging the gravity of the charcoal crisis and for initiating a strategy that seeks to balance economic livelihoods with environmental preservation. Moving away from unsustainable charcoal production is vital for our climate resilience, public health, and long-term economic stability.
While the intent is commendable, CTPD stresses that the success of the strategy hinges on its ability to overcome complex socio-economic realities and structural challenges that drive charcoal production:
1. Affordability and accessibility of alternatives: Clean cooking solutions like Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) and electricity remain prohibitively expensive. The strategy must incorporate innovative financing mechanisms, targeted subsidies, and tax incentives to make clean energy solutions genuinely affordable and accessible to low-income households.
2. Viable alternative livelihoods and poverty: For many rural producers, charcoal burning is a survival strategy, particularly during periods of drought or crop failure. The strategy must be socially inclusive by offering and funding sustainable economic alternatives such as beekeeping, community-led forest management, climate-smart agriculture, and green job creation that provide an equivalent or better income for producers.
3. Addressing weak enforcement: Efforts to reform the sector have historically been undermined by weak enforcement within the Forest Department and along the supply chain. The strategy must include robust governance reforms and decisive action to end illicit financial flows and promote transparency within the trade.
CTPD urges the Ministry of Green Economy and Climate Change to anchor the final strategy on gender-responsive budgeting, cross-ministerial coordination, a phased and incentivized approach, and deep decentralized community ownership. We stand ready to provide technical support and evidence-based analysis to ensure the Strategy is robust, equitable, and successful in safeguarding Zambia’s forests for future generations.
Issued by:
Solomon Mwampikita (Mr) Lead Researcher-Land, Environment & Climate Change Centre for Trade Policy and Development (CTPD)
Plot 3823, Manda Hill Road, Olympia
Park, Lusaka Zambia (Mwaka Nyimbili) +260-975-876038
www.ctpd.org.zm
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