Two billion people rely on wood and charcoal for their daily energy needs. But supply chains are often environmentally unsustainable, and poor actors rarely capture enough value from trade in these products. This briefing discusses two innovative cases in the governance of biomass markets, which enhance the inclusion of informal actors. The first shows how Nepal’s long history of effective forestry governance has helped rural communities thrive in producing briquettes for urban markets; the second examines efforts to regulate Kenya’s charcoal trade in an inclusive way. Both cases identify wider lessons for improving biomass market sustainability that address issues of equity, inclusion and environmental sustainability.
