Youth reporters have a powerful role to play big transitions
Youth reporters from the Pan African Radio station based in Lusaka, Zambia prepare to gather interviews about charcoal burning in an effort to help their listeners understand its connection to deforestation, and how communities can help move towards a cleaner safer future for people and the planet.
Charcoal is the most frequently used energy source used for cooking throughout the African continent.
Charcoal is made from burning wood into concentrated “chars” of carbon. This is done by burning wood in a low oxygen environment, often covering the burning wood with sand. This process removes water, methane, hydrogen, and tar from the wood, becoming charcoal.
Charcoal production has increased immensely over the past 40 years in Zambia. Production went from 33,000 tonnes in 1969 to 1,500,000 tonnes in 2015.
It is estimated that charcoal production provides full‐time employment for about 41,000 people in rural areas.
While charcoal production has created job opportunities and markets within many countries, it is also a major threat to the environment.
Sometimes termed “The Lungs of Africa”, forests throughout the continent play an important role in the health of environments and communities as well as the economies of many nations.
Although Africa currently contributes only a small amount to global greenhouse gases, the main source of the continent’s emissions is deforestation.
While charcoal production and the burning of it poses health risks to communities and environments, it is also the source of many peoples livelihoods. People are reliant on charcoal on a daily basis for both income, cooking, and heating. Zambians can’t stop using charcoal all at once. Moving forward, implementing policies that manage the production as well as try to introduce cleaner energy sources at affordable rates can help create a more sustainable future.
Youth reporters have a powerful role to play big transitions like this. Policy change must be conceived and implemented in consultation with communities, and youth reporters have the unique ability to both share information and engage with community voices.
