Abstract. Full text article available at https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enpol.2020.111751Charcoal production in the miombo woodlands has motivated policy debates over the years in central, eastern and southern Africa. Forestry ideals with colonial origins downplay the value of charcoal production and other local uses of forest resources, while current policy largely condemns the environmental effects of charcoal production. Current policies create a paradox whereby the government bans charcoal while earning revenues from it. At the same time, NGO-led initiatives promise sustainable charcoal production. This paper analyses the current policy measures, showing that they are simplified responses to the complex interplay between economic development, charcoal use and miombo woodlands. The paper argues that a holistic context that includes sustainable management of the miombo, and consideration of the livelihoods of its residents, offers a richer perspective than do simplified state responses that ultimately create unsustainable and paradoxical policies. Policies that combine concerns for both woodland conservation and economic development would not only allow but enable and promote sustainable charcoal production.