Trending Now - Energy Crisis Impacts Cooking, Conservation in Africa and South Asia
WHO:
ABC News - Brenda Obare, a resident of Kibera, Kenya, and Paula Kahumbu, CEO of WildlifeDirect.
ABC News - Mayukh Chatterjee, co-chair for the International Union Conservation for Nature's conflict and co-existence specialist group.
ABC News - Rama, a social worker in Bhalswa, New Delhi.
ABC News - Neha Saigal, a consultant with Asar Social Impact Advisors.
ABC News - Munyao Kitheka, a charcoal seller in Nairobi.
WHAT:
ABC News - Households in Africa and South Asia are reverting to charcoal and firewood for cooking due to rising costs and unreliability of cleaner fuels.
ABC News - Air pollution from cooking methods killed 2.9 million people in 2021, according to the World Health Organization.
ABC News - Charcoal is one of the most widely used cooking fuels in sub-Saharan Africa and is a major driver of deforestation.
ABC News - Tourism contributes about 14% of GDP in countries like Kenya and Tanzania.
WHERE:
ABC News - Kibera, Nairobi, Kenya, one of Africa’s largest informal settlements.
ABC News - Bhalswa, a poor neighborhood in the outskirts of New Delhi, India.
ABC News - Countries in Africa and South Asia.
WHEN:
ABC News - The shift in cooking methods is occurring currently due to ongoing energy shocks linked to the Iran war.
WHY:
ABC News - Rising costs of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and other cleaner fuels are driving families to use charcoal and firewood.
ABC News - Economic pressures and the need for affordable cooking options are leading to increased use of biomass fuels.
ABC News - The energy disruptions are linked to the Iran war.
HOW:
ABC News - Families are turning to firewood and charcoal because they are easier to obtain in cash-poor settings.
ABC News - Conservation efforts are being undermined as households revert to burning firewood and charcoal, which increases pressure on forests and wildlife habitats.
(UPDATED April 27, 2026 11:30 UTC)
Households in Africa and South Asia are increasingly turning to charcoal and firewood for cooking due to rising costs and the unreliability of cleaner fuels, a trend driven by ongoing energy shocks linked to the Iran war. This shift is concerning, as air pollution from cooking methods was responsible for 2.9 million deaths in 2021, and the use of charcoal is a major contributor to deforestation in sub-Saharan Africa. Experts, including Brenda Obare from Kibera, Kenya, and Mayukh Chatterjee from the International Union for Conservation of Nature, warn that these economic pressures are undermining conservation efforts and putting additional strain on forests and wildlife habitats.