The Gold Standard Foundation confirmed, this month, the registration of the Project Gaia Programme of Activities (PoA). Actions under the programme lead to the replacement of the use of non-renewable biomass and fossil fuels for households cooking through the distribution and use of ethanol-powered energy efficient stoves. Project Gaia’s main activities are being implemented in Ethiopia where Carbon Africa has been actively supporting the development of the carbon programme, with UNFCCC Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) registration also secured in March 2017, as reported here.
The programme, beyond GHG emission reductions, is expected to generate significant positive social, environmental and economic impacts on the local community, which is attested by the successful registration under the Gold Standard. Key amongst the sustainable development benefits are user health improvements due to reduced exposure to indoor air pollution and financial savings over time from the use of the efficient stoves coupled with steady ethanol prices as opposed to the ever-increasing cost of fuelwood/charcoal.
Carbon Africa, as the carbon asset developer and CDM Loan Scheme manager, has supported the programme secure both CDM and Gold Standard registration. More details about the programme can be found on the Gold Standard Project registry here.