Whose problem is it anyway? Narratives and counter-narratives and their impact on woodfuel policy formulation

The perception that there were rapidly growing demands for woodfuel in developing countries was an early driver of policies and measures which had the objectives of increasing wood energy supplies or of attenuating demand. A series of compelling narratives developed around the "woodfuel crisis," in support of technocratic responses. Their shortcomings became evident with experience gained in implementation, and new narratives and counternarratives emerged, building on a growing body of research about the dynamics of woodfuel supply and demand. This paper examines the role of woodfuel narratives and counternarratives, and how they continue to inform policy. Evidence suggests that after nearly 40 years of focusing narrowly on woodfuel, policy makers remain poorly equipped to respond to the problem. Effective solutions to the problem of woodfuel must be rooted in a broader reframing of the role of trees, woodlands and forests in the rural economy, and how rights of use and access to these important resources can be mediated by policy and legislation, and supported by development investment.