1 July 2022
Cookstoves in the VCM
Matt Lavelle
Ratings Analyst
Annie White
Research Analyst
6min
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Improved cookstove projects account for nearly 1 in 7 projects in the Voluntary Carbon Market (VCM) and, when successful, can provide carbon benefits through emission reductions. Due to variations in the standards required by project accreditors, the carbon efficacy of these projects can vary.
Read our introduction to cookstove projects in the VCM, and the key risks and uncertainties to consider when assessing their carbon efficacy.
Improved cookstove projects account for 14 percent of projects on the VCM, but the quality and efficacy of the carbon credits assigned a BeZero Carbon Rating varies.
The variation in the quality of the credits reflects the multiple approaches used by projects for baseline-setting tools and survey techniques.
BeZero has identified several practices, including using field-based rather than lab-based tests to set emissions baselines, applying conservative assumptions about baseline fuels, and conducting in-person follow-up surveys, which can mitigate risks to the project’s carbon efficacy.
Cookstove projects account for 14 percent of projects on the VCM. These projects aim to address the emissions produced by the 30 percent of the world’s population that use polluting fuels for household heat and cooking (Chart 1).
