Improved cook stoves in carbon markets

Greetings from Northern Uganda! I am now in Gulu visiting a potential stove supplier organization, Aid Africa. They work deep in villages among the poorest of poor; supplying them with clean water, medical care, cook stoves and trees. I gave their staff a presentation about global warming, carbon markets and improved cook stoves...

Stove design lecture

Rocket stove efficiency testing

CDM = Clean development mechanism. A flexibility mechanism of emission reduction projects, defined in Kyoto Protocol and under the guidance of United Nations Convention on Climate Change (UNCCC). CDM projects aim at reducing greenhouse gases and promoting sustainable development in poor regions. They generate certified emission reduction units (CERs) to be traded at compliance and voluntary markets. Industrialized countries can use CERs as part of their emission reduction targets.

PoA = Programme of Activities. An umbrella bringing together bundles of replicable small scale projects generating carbon credits. A PoA may operate in multiple countries within a specified field, e.g. solar systems, cook stoves or building refurbishment.

SO = Supplier organization. Companies and non-government organizations joining a cook stove PoA to earn carbon credits. SOs are e.g. manufacturers/distributors, agricultural groups or healthcare organizations.

UCB = Uganda Carbon Bureau. UCB provides support to project developers, carbon credit buyers and offseters, financiers and others to better understand climate change and carbon emission trading markets. It works together with private sector and public agencies across East Africa. I volunteer at UCB.

ICSEA = Improved Cook Stoves for East Africa Ltd. The coordinating/managing entity (CME) for a PoA of cook stove projects. ICSEA operates under UCB. In exchange for inclusion and monitoring fees ICSEA provides its SOs with access to CDM carbon markets, assistance in registration process, training and channels to seed funding. SOs keep 100% of their carbon credits.

ILF = International Lifeline Fund. The first SO in the ICSEA PoA. ILF is head quartered in Lira, Northern Uganda. It manufactures and distributes improved cook stoves.

ICS = Improved cook stove. An energy efficient ICS consumes less fuel than a traditional stove. It saves money spent on charcoal and/or time on collecting firewood, thus providing households with extra savings and time for more productive activities. It reduces indoor air pollution, which causes dangerous lung diseases. It is gender sensitive as women and children are the ones engaged in cooking and fuel acquisition activities. It reduces deforestation and therefore other environmental problems, e.g. landslides. It promotes employment in stove industry. It reduces greenhouse gases so it can earn carbon credits when its usage is precisely monitored. An ICS can earn up to three carbon credits per year, depending on its efficiency rating, thus generating an annual income of around $30 to be used on end users' benefit, e.g. discount stove price, free stove maintenance and community incentives.

CRM = Customer relationship management. In order to earn carbon credits, an ICS must be in active use, replacing old stoves and under continuous maintenance. Systematic monitoring activities are required by the UN to keep track of thousands of stoves spread around several regions. ICSEA is currently replacing its Excel database with a Salesforce CRM system. I am working in the system implementation project. (Ironic, huh? I ran out of IT, but now I am voluntarily back at it!)

It is always a good idea to combine work with fun. Together with Gulu expats I went rock climbing at Ft Patiko. We spent a sunny Sunday enjoying beautiful views, playing with local kids, setting up top anchors around loose rocks, and of course climbing more or less demanding routes. There is still a lot of new climbing left to be discovered there!

Ft Patiko