Reliance on charcoal or firewood is highest in Africa and Asia, according to a 2018 report by the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization, with some African cities almost entirely dependent on ...

Southeast Asia is also playing a growing role, with Indonesia and Vietnam exporting activated wood charcoal for use in water ...

Charcoal production in Africa is still growing by 2% a year. Mr Ali’s neighbours use it for slow cooking, like boiling beans. Nearby shops sell gas and ethanol fuel.

Wood charcoal is the second main source of cooking fuel in Benin and demand is rising. The country turned over 3.3 million tonnes of wood into charcoal in 2017 versus 2.5 million tonnes in 2010 ...