CSOs push for solutions to charcoal-energy crisis

Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in the environmental sector have urged authorities to take immediate action to address the charcoal-energy crisis and save the country’s forests cover.

The CSOs, Civil Society Network on Climate Change (Cisonecc), Coordination Union for Rehabilitation of the Environment (Cure), Leadership for Environment and Development Southern and Eastern Africa (Lead), Sustainable Development Initiative (SDI), Association of Environmental Journalists in Malawi (AEJM), Malawi Environmental Endowment Trust (Meet), Centre for Environmental Policy and Advocacy (Cepa), Churches Action in Relief and Development (Card), National Youth Network on Climate Change (NYNCC) and Movement for environmental Action were addressing a joint media briefing in Blantyre on Tuesday.

They sounded an alarm that if the nation fails to protect its forests now, its forests will be gone in 10 to 15 years, with devastating impacts on the economy and its people.

Cisonecc national coordinator Julius Ng’oma said the law was created to sustainably manage the forests for the future generation hence the need to promote alternatives to prevent people from violating the law.

“While we sympathise with the public, scrapping off the law is not an option, it will be suicidal. Government should remove tax on liquid petroleum gas (LPG) to make it affordable, make available more accessible gas selling channels, raise awareness to clear misconceptions and empower the private sector to invest in selling of alternative sources of energy,” he said.

Ageeing with Ng’oma, Cure executive director Herbert Mwalukomo hinted that the growing dependence on illegal and unsustainably produced charcoal is led by the historic lack of available, accessible and affordable cooking and heating energy alternatives.

“Today, almost every urban household uses charcoal and more than 75 percent use charcoal as their primary source of cooking and heating energy. This has increased from less than 45 percent of urban households relying on charcoal in 2011,” said Mwalukomo.

The CSOs said the enormous increase in charcoal demand and consumption has been further exacerbated by population growth and urbanisation.

They have since proposed that the Office of the President and Cabinet should immediately convene an energy accelerator lab, bringing together Ministries of Energy, Finance and Natural Resources and Climate Change and Trade and Industry; Malawi Energy Regulatory Authority; State-owned and private energy companies; and non-governmental organisations to come up with a plan of increasing availability of alternatives to illegal charcoal for immediate action.

The Ministry of Finance to waive taxes on alternative cooking and heating energies and technologies to decrease the price to consumers and help promote adoption. This includes customs, duty, VAT and levies on all cleaner cooking energies and technologies, including liquid petroleum gas and electric cookstoves and accessories, improved charcoal stoves, biogas and legal licensed charcoal.

They further urged public and private sectors to support increased adoption of alternative energy sources to illegal charcoal through tailor-made financing facilities for their employees.

The CSOs have further called upon the Malawi Energy Regulatory Authority (Mera) and ministries of Energy, Finance and Trade and Industry to create conditions favourable for the sale of gas by private vendors in urban areas through facilitating establishment of more accessible distribution channels and sales outlets.

They further urged the media to work with relevant authorities in creating awareness about the benefits of gas and clear all misconceptions associated with gas.