More than 2.7 billion people in developing countries rely on biomass for cooking with profound implications for their well-being. Two million people die every year due to cooking related smoke emissions - more than are killed by malaria. In recent years, an international movement has gained...

Biofuels contribute to the mitigation of climate change. Directive 2003/30/EC thus aims at increasing the share of biofuels in total EU fuel consumption by up to 5.75 % by 2010. The rationale behind this directive can be found in potentially positive environmental impacts, most notably the...

Entsprechend der Richtlinie 2003/30/EC soll der Anteil von Biokraftstoffen am Treibstoffverbrauch der EU bis 2010 auf 5,75 % erhöht werden. Diese Richtlinie wird mit Umwelteffekten begründet, vor allem der Vermeidung von Treibhausgasen, aber auch positiven Beschäftigungseffekten in der...

Widely considered as an important backbone of economies in developing countries, micro- and small enterprises face several constraints in doing business in Ghana. The creation of industrial zones (IZ) with improved access to infrastructure and secured land tenure is a potential remedy to promote...

The use of well-designed improved cookstoves (ICS) in regions devoid of modern energy yields high private and social returns, mostly related to considerable woodfuel savings. Take-up rates are nonetheless often very low when people have to pay costcovering prices. This paper presents main...