Integrating Critical Zone Science and Social-Ecological Systems Frameworks for Woodfuel Governance in the Lilongwe River Upper Catchment, Malawi: A Scoping Review

This scoping review maps the extent and nature of evidence on woodfuel (firewood and charcoal) governance in Malawi. Using a combined Critical Zone Science and Social-Ecological Systems (CZS-SES) diagnostic framework as an integrative lens, the review examines the relationships between governance mechanisms and biophysical outcomes. The review follows the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) guidelines and the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) methodology for scoping reviews. Evidence will be synthesised thematically to identify governance patterns, and their inferred implications for forest, water and other biophysical conditions.