Overcoming Barriers to Sustainable Charcoal in Kenya

This policy brief by the Stockholm Environment Institute examines the barriers to creating a sustainable charcoal sector in Kenya, where charcoal serves over 80% of the urban population's cooking energy needs.

• Charcoal is a critical energy source for more than 80% of Kenya's urban population, and the gap between the supply and demand for the commodity is expected to grow without intervention, partly mitigated by imports from neighboring countries.
• Kenya is pursuing a dual strategy to improve the sustainability of charcoal production, trade, and consumption while facilitating fuel switching through a combination of regulation, the promotion of improved cookstoves and kilns, and support for alternative fuels.
• To address market chain concerns and improve sustainability, the authors argue for coordinated efforts to increase the capacity of charcoal producer associations and implementing entities, and to improve communication between enforcing agencies.

APA

Stockholm Environment Institute (2018). Overcoming Barriers to Sustainable Charcoal in Kenya. https://www.sei.org/publications/overcoming-barriers-sustainable-charcoal-kenya/

Chicago

Stockholm Environment Institute. Overcoming Barriers to Sustainable Charcoal in Kenya. 2018. https://www.sei.org/publications/overcoming-barriers-sustainable-charcoal-kenya/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Stockholm Environment Institute |title=Overcoming Barriers to Sustainable Charcoal in Kenya |date=29 October 2018 |url=https://www.sei.org/publications/overcoming-barriers-sustainable-charcoal-kenya/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{stockholmenvironmentinstitute2018overcoming, author = {{Stockholm Environment Institute}}, title = {{Overcoming Barriers to Sustainable Charcoal in Kenya}}, institution = {Stockholm Environment Institute}, year = {2018}, month = oct, url = {https://www.sei.org/publications/overcoming-barriers-sustainable-charcoal-kenya/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }