[Stoves] New York Times story on charcoal production and deforestation

Mon Jul 18 12:09:29 CDT 2022

Dear Friends

Here below is a communication from Kip Patrick from the Clean Cooking Alliance.

Perhaps this will start a conversation, here and elsewhere, on how to create the necessary biomass resources needed to cook, and how banning charcoal production is usually a precursor to the destruction of forests, in spite of best intentions.

Experiences in Chad, Rwanda and Haiti show that permitting people to grow and control their forest resources creates the conditions for sustainable charcoal production while banning it promotes charcoal mafias and resource robbery.  Chad is perhaps the clearest example of things gone wrong, gone right and gone wrong again.

In Lesotho the production of wood (trees) is dominated by the private sector and a recognized right that people own the trees they tend.  They are sold, one by one, still standing, like American walnut trees.

Regards
Crispin

To: Clean Cookstoves Media <media at cleancooking.org<mailto:media at cleancooking.org>>
Subject: GOOD READ: New York Times story on charcoal production and deforestation

[External]
Dear Clean Cooking Communicators,

As you may have seen, the New York Times just published a powerful story<https://nam12.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nytimes.com%2F2022%2F07%2F13%2Fclimate%2Fcongo-river-basin-deforestation-charcoal.html&data=05%7C01%7C%7C4f14f33d4df646f6f2cb08da65e2bcd7%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C637934321771481966%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=jgdHsqV2WGZysQqsopN%2Bmdw%2BKxOLELY%2FWwc9eU53zgY%3D&reserved=0> about the under-appreciated role charcoal production is playing in deforestation in the Congo River Basin. A charcoal producer interviewed by the Times aptly sums up the issue: "What can you do when you see the only way to feed your family is to cut trees?"

It's a dilemma far too many families face each day. And while we all know clean cooking is one of the most undervalued and underfunded tools we have to protect nature, climate, and livelihoods - not enough people do.

We would love your help spreading the word about this story and the issue more broadly. Below is a sample social media post and specific language that may be useful:

  *   Post to social media channels and share with your networks: SAMPLE TWEET HERE<https://nam12.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Ftwitter.com%2Fcleancooking%2Fstatus%2F1547673060752310272%3Fs%3D20%26t%3DH743nG7Mt_RMzjKhhfqIfw&data=05%7C01%7C%7C4f14f33d4df646f6f2cb08da65e2bcd7%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C637934321771481966%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=qUWzxud58A%2BiBjrqcPuqm8LqjDtMUKKCmoEkdbeca2Y%3D&reserved=0>
  *   Leave a comment on the story on the NYT website here: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/07/13/climate/congo-river-basin-deforestation-charcoal.html#commentsContainer<https://nam12.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nytimes.com%2F2022%2F07%2F13%2Fclimate%2Fcongo-river-basin-deforestation-charcoal.html%23commentsContainer&data=05%7C01%7C%7C4f14f33d4df646f6f2cb08da65e2bcd7%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C637934321771481966%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=lIzTVwdyDAvQ%2FQEMhxP2mzeAlUceo65UBa5eJaaDVrY%3D&reserved=0>
  *   Sample language below for comments, outreach, etc

TWEET THIS: This powerful @nytimes story highlights how the lack of #CleanCooking is driving deforestation, harming the climate, and limiting livelihoods. Global leaders must prioritize clean cooking as a nature-based climate solution!

http://ow.ly/LS9X50JVZWL<https://nam12.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fow.ly%2FLS9X50JVZWL&data=05%7C01%7C%7C4f14f33d4df646f6f2cb08da65e2bcd7%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C637934321771481966%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=%2BKdqM2x2ETVAjjNoz1SnFNTMHtDWV%2BrH57SyjLsPzjg%3D&reserved=0>

SAMPLE LANGUAGE:

  *   Clean cooking is one of the most undervalued and underfunded tools we have to protect nature, climate, and livelihoods.
  *   We have the technology to provide clean, safe, affordable solutions<https://nam12.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcleancooking.org%2Fthe-solutions%2F&data=05%7C01%7C%7C4f14f33d4df646f6f2cb08da65e2bcd7%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C637934321771481966%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=GuvKz1ADXYo8L5Eawvsl5nv%2BVDMLfzqW2av0cDutDSE%3D&reserved=0> - but only if governments, investors, and the private sector make it a priority.
  *   Our leaders must live up to pledges to halt deforestation and align with <https://nam12.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fukcop26.org%2Fglasgow-leaders-declaration-on-forests-and-land-use%2F&data=05%7C01%7C%7C4f14f33d4df646f6f2cb08da65e2bcd7%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C637934321771481966%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=G2nKFeJgCF3Q42Iu1udUa%2BiRljviXQsmUF5XIYFoHQQ%3D&reserved=0> global finance to invest in clean cooking as a nature-based climate solution<https://nam12.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.unep.org%2Fresources%2Fstate-finance-nature&data=05%7C01%7C%7C4f14f33d4df646f6f2cb08da65e2bcd7%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C637934321771481966%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=%2BVHXdVME2sw55DZG9L14ySXn%2F1B9G%2FAIIj6IVw62SLs%3D&reserved=0>.
  *   We can - and must - ensure that no one's life is limited by the way they cook.

Thanks, and again, please let us know if you have any questions or how we can support you.

Best,

Kip
---
Kip Patrick
Senior Director, Advocacy and Communications
Clean Cooking Alliance
202-384-2992
kpatrick at CleanCooking.org<mailto:kpatrick at CleanCooking.org>

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