Fuelwood crisis

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  • Created by: C.P.
  • Created on: 26-02-14 20:12
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  • Fuelwood crisis
    • Impacts
      • As more forest is destroyed it will increase surface run off which can cause more incidence of flooding
      • In India, 400,000 people a year die from indoor air pollution.
      • More ground exposure will lead to more soil erosion which may cause the loss of ecosystems
      • The World Health Organisation predicts a person dies every 20 second from inhaling the toxins in the soot from cooking which uses fuel wood.
      • Collectors of the fuel wood will have to travel further as more forests are destroyed which means there is less time valuable for more productive work E.G. education
    • Causes
      • 50% of the world’s population uses word as their only source of fuel
      • 24% of all biomass consumption in the world comes from Africa
      • In Sub-Sahara Africa, 49% of total duel consumption comes from biomass compared to 25% in Southern Africa
      • In Burkina Faso, over 90% of the energy used for cooking comes from firewood
      • Population growth which leads to more subsistence cutting of wood around villages
      • Increased demand for wood in cities leads to commercial wood-cutting
      • The fuel wood crisis in Burkina Faso began after the 1970's oil crisis
      • Alternative fuels are expensiveness E.G. in Burkina Faso, for a family to cook with containers of liquid would cost 72 francs a year, which is more than the average income for 45% of the average income
    • Solutions
      • Mini hydro schemes can provide enough electricity for 3 villages of 500 people each. There are 600 of these being built in Nepal
      • Improve fuel wood distribution networks would allow easier movement of fuel wood from surplus regions to defecit regions
      • Energy efficient stoves are 50% more efficient than open fire cooking, E.G. The Lorena stove in Guatemala
      • Finding alternative methods of cooking food E.G. Solar Cooking. The Solar Cookers International has estimated that of the 500 million people that live in areas of abundant sunshine, 85% of them live in just 10 Countries, many of which suffer from the fuel wood crisis.
      • Schemes by foreign governments to encourage LEDC's to keep their forests E.G. Drop the Debt scheme whcih is "adoption" of areas of forest by MEDC'S
      • Outside intervention includes land being used outside of villages which will be fuel wood plantations which are specifically designated to be harvested

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