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This research paper examines the potential for combining Integrated Assessment Models (IAMs) with geo-spatial landscape models to better understand the interactions between energy, economy, and land use in regions heavily dependent on woodfuels, specifically focusing on a case study in Kenya.

This report by the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) examines the interdependencies between water, energy, and food security in Rwanda's Akagera Basin. Using a 'nexus toolkit' comprising policy coherence analysis and quantitative scenario modelling (WEAP and LEAP), the study evaluates how national development goals—such as agricultural intensification and energy transition—interact and compete for limited natural resources. The research highlights criticalS significant trade-offs, particularly regarding water availability for irrigation versus hydropower and the persistent risk of deforestation despite efforts to transition to cleaner cooking fuels.

This briefing by the Stockholm Environment Institute examines the health impacts and adoption rates of improved cookstoves in Central America. It highlights a gap between laboratory emission reductions and actual personal exposure reductions, identifies key drivers for successful technology uptake, and recommends the establishment of standardized performance measures and national certification bodies to improve public health outcomes.

This technical brief from the Stockholm Environment Institute examines the critical role of firewood as a primary energy source in Kenya, highlighting the challenges of supply-demand imbalances, gender inequality, and knowledge gaps. It advocates for a multi-sectoral integrated approach to ensure sustainable firewood access and utilization.

This research paper by the Stockholm Environment Institute uses a qualitative 'generative' methodology to examine household energy decision-making in four villages in Haryana State, India. The study identifies that the failure of improved cookstove initiatives often stems from a lack of attention to user needs and cultural contexts, such as the preference for specific fuel combinations and the traditional method of baking roti.

This briefing by the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) argues that the failure of clean cookstove programs to transform markets is largely due to a neglect of user needs, preferences, and cultural contexts. SEI advocates for a user-centered approach that combines quantitative economic modeling with qualitative ethnographic research to understand the social, emotional, and ergonomic factors influencing household energy choices.

This 1994 report by the Stockholm Environment Institute examines energy use within the urban informal sector of Tanzania, specifically in Dar es Salaam, Mbeya, and Shinyanga. It analyzes the relationship between capital intensity, energy efficiency, and employment, noting that the sector serves as a critical economic survival mechanism, particularly for women. The study finds a dichotomy between subsistence-oriented activities using traditional fuels and small-scale businesses using modern energy, concluding that the informal sector provides significant employment without substantially increasing total urban energy consumption due to capital limitations.

This policy briefing examines the ecological importance and governance challenges of the Eastern Arc Mountains in Tanzania and Kenya. It highlights that approximately 70% of the original forest cover has been lost due to deforestation and degradation, driven largely by population growth and a heavy reliance on biomass for energy. Despite a comprehensive policy framework and significant donor funding—including REDD+ initiatives—the document argues that governance failures, lack of state funding, and poor enforcement of local by-laws have hindered conservation efforts.

This guide describes the land-based resource modeling capabilities within the Low Emissions Analysis Platform (LEAP), specifically its ability to assess land-use change, biomass energy strategies, and the availability of renewable resources.

The CHAPOSA project investigated charcoal production and forest depletion in the supply areas of Lusaka (Zambia), Dar es Salaam (Tanzania), and Maputo (Mozambique) between 1989 and 1998. The report finds that woodland cover is reducing in all three regions due to charcoal production and agricultural expansion, with the most severe depletion occurring around Maputo. While charcoal provides a critical income source for the rural poor and an affordable energy source for the urban poor, the current system is largely unregulated, with state licensing and fee collection being highly ineffective. The report recommends a coordinated policy approach: enforcing fiscal systems to fund forest management, while simultaneously providing rural agricultural support and expanding urban electricity access to reduce dependence on charcoal.