The charcoal deadlock: Affordability gaps stall Uganda’s move to green energy

KAMPALA, Uganda — The smoke rising from kitchens across Kampala tells a story of a nation in a deadlock between environmental survival and daily necessity. Despite ambitious international climate pledges and a string of government bans, charcoal remains the lifeblood of the Ugandan household.

New data from the 2023 Energy Policy Review shows that more than 55 percent of households nationwide rely on charcoal, a figure that climbs to 82 percent in the capital. While the government aims for a zero-emission future by 2030, the reality on the ground suggests a steeper climb than policymakers may have anticipated.

The cost of a cooking fire

Uganda is currently losing its forests at a rate of 1.44 percent annually, among the highest in sub-Saharan Africa. Since 2001, the country has lost 1.2 million hectares of tree cover, an area roughly equivalent to 15 percent of its total canopy at the turn of the millennium.

This environmental decay is the direct result of an energy gap. While the country has nearly doubled its electricity capacity to 2,200 megawatts following the launch of the Karuma hydropower plant, adoption remains sluggish. Only 1.5 percent of households use liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) for cooking, cited largely due to concerns over affordability and reliable supply.

Toothless bans

In February 2025, Energy Minister Ruth Nankabirwa suggested a potential ban on charcoal use in urban centers. This follows a 2023 executive order from President Yoweri Museveni that prohibited charcoal trade in northern regions like Acholi and West Nile.

However, enforcement remains a challenge. Dealers have adapted, moving away from open trucks to more discreet methods of transport to bypass checkpoints.

“It is technically impossible to remove 90 percent of the population from charcoal use in five years,” said Michael Tebere, director for government and partner relations at Kijani Forestry.

The carbon solution

The government is now looking toward the financial markets to bridge the gap. Last month, at the COP30 summit in Brazil, officials launched the Uganda Pearl Carbon Platform. This sovereign registry is designed to manage the country’s carbon credits, allowing Uganda to monetize its conservation efforts.

Financial institutions are also stepping in. Denis Ochieng, director of finance at the Uganda Development Bank, said the lender is preparing a 100-megawatt solar project with battery storage. The bank aims to help the country reach its target of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 22 percent by 2030.

A grassroots approach

While large-scale energy projects continue, some organizations are working within the existing charcoal economy. Kijani Forestry has partnered with 30,000 households in northern Uganda to plant more than 10 million trees. Their “Nursery Hub Model” encourages farmers to plant woodlots specifically for sustainable harvesting, providing a legal and renewable alternative to the destruction of indigenous forests.

The scale of the challenge remains immense. The World Bank estimates Uganda needs $2.5 billion annually to meet its climate goals, yet only 30 percent of that funding is currently available from domestic sources.

For now, the 2023 Energy Policy recognizes biomass as the most essential energy source for the population, accounting for 90.5 percent of all energy consumed. Until cleaner alternatives become as cheap and accessible as a sack of coal, the axes in the northern forests are unlikely to fall silent.