Fuelwood extraction by indigenous, rural and urban poors do not risk trees and forest: a case study from Jharkhand, India

Abstract

During the past few decades, India has experienced many changes in its energy consumption pattern both in qualitative and quantitative terms.1 This is mainly due to rising population growth and increase of economic and developmental activity. The household sectors is one of the largest users of energy in India, accounting for about 30 % of final energy consumption (excluding energy used for transport) reflecting the importance of the sector in total national energy scenario.2 The pattern of household energy consumption represents the status of welfare as well as the stage of economic development. International Energy Agency predicts that population growth will render 2.7million people relying on plant base energy forms in the year 2030.1 The rural and urban poor population mainly depend on plant biomass resources (cow dung, crop residue, fuel wood) as compared to hydrocarbons to fulfill their daily energy needs.3 Fuel wood extracted from forest is one of the most important sources of energy in the developing and under developed countries.4–7 Much of the fuel wood is now also being obtained from trees outside from forest, such as bush fellow, scrub, dead trees, pruning and lopping.