Potential environmental benefits of woodfuel transitions in Haiti: geospatial scenarios to 2027

This research paper uses the MoFuSS dynamic landscape model to assess the impact of woodfuel demand on land cover in Haiti. It finds that while woodfuels provide nearly 80% of the country's primary energy and contribute to moderate degradation, there is little evidence they directly drive deforestation. Projections for 2017-2027 suggest a business-as-usual scenario would result in a 4%±1% decline in above-ground woody biomass, but aggressive demand-reduction interventions could reverse this trend.

• Woodfuels make up nearly 80% of the primary energy supply in Haiti. While the country is often seen as a primary example of deforestation caused by woodfuel, the authors find little empirical evidence that woodfuel demand directly causes deforestation, though it may contribute to degradation.
• Under a business-as-usual scenario from 2017 to 2027, the regenerative capacity of woody biomass is unable to meet increasing demand. This could lead to a decline in above-ground woody biomass stocks of 4%±1%, representing an annual loss of 302±29 kton of wood and emissions of 555±54 kton CO2yr-1.
• The authors conclude that while current woodfuel demand may lead to moderate degradation, the impact is not as severe as typically portrayed. Implementing aggressive interventions to reduce demand could slow or reverse this degradation and allow woody biomass to recover in certain regions.

APA

Stockholm Environment Institute (2018). Potential environmental benefits of woodfuel transitions in Haiti: geospatial scenarios to 2027. https://www.sei.org/publications/potential-environmental-benefits-woodfuel-transitions-haiti-geospatial-scenarios-2027/

Chicago

Stockholm Environment Institute. Potential environmental benefits of woodfuel transitions in Haiti: geospatial scenarios to 2027. 2018. https://www.sei.org/publications/potential-environmental-benefits-woodfuel-transitions-haiti-geospatial-scenarios-2027/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Stockholm Environment Institute |title=Potential environmental benefits of woodfuel transitions in Haiti: geospatial scenarios to 2027 |date=1 March 2018 |url=https://www.sei.org/publications/potential-environmental-benefits-woodfuel-transitions-haiti-geospatial-scenarios-2027/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{stockholmenvironmentinstitute2018potential, author = {{Stockholm Environment Institute}}, title = {{Potential environmental benefits of woodfuel transitions in Haiti: geospatial scenarios to 2027}}, institution = {Stockholm Environment Institute}, year = {2018}, month = mar, url = {https://www.sei.org/publications/potential-environmental-benefits-woodfuel-transitions-haiti-geospatial-scenarios-2027/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }