Since 1990, Somalia has experienced statelessness, compounded with armed violence that has led to a high unemployment rate. But another kind of war is going on in Somalia – one that is being waged against the already fragile environment. This war involves the destruction of acacia trees to produce charcoal for the local and international market. Since the collapse of the Somali state, a large number of unemployed men have made their livelihood from charcoal production. In the absence of government environmental regulation and protection, acacia trees are cut and burnt on a large scale for charcoal, leading to the degradation of Somalia’s natural resources. Due to poverty, unemployed

Above: Charcoal, which is referred to as dhuxul in Somali, has been the main cooking energy used by millions of households in Somalia for centuries.