Burundi is facing a rapidly worsening environmental crisis as deforestation intensifies across the country. With 95% of households still reliant on firewood and charcoal, forest cover has declined sharply—from 20% in 2000 to just 10.8% today. Despite government efforts, weak forest governance, expanding farmland, and rising global charcoal consumption continue to drive the loss of natural forests. Environmentalists warn that the ecological consequences—soil erosion, biodiversity loss, and rising carbon emissions—are mounting, while reforestation initiatives struggle to keep pace. Local actors, including youth-led groups like Greening Burundi, are pushing for stronger…
Burundi: Deforestation as a Growing Environmental Threat
