The greenhouse gases spewed out during the production of charcoal in developing nations may warm Earth’s atmosphere more effectively than would the carbon dioxide generated by the burning of fossil fuels, according to new research. That’s the case even though charcoal is made from wood that removed globe-warming carbon dioxide from the atmosphere as it was growing.
Many parts of the world, especially some in Africa and Southeast Asia, use charcoal-fed fires for heating, cooking, and industrial processes.
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