Cooperation for high impact improved cookstove project in Rwanda
For the next 3 years, First Climate will be a partner of UK-based project developer DelAgua. Through this agreement, First Climate will support the company in marketing emissions reductions from their Rwanda Stoves Project and enable clients to source high quality emissions reductions certificates and to contribute to sustainable development and improved livelihoods on the ground.
The DelAgua Rwanda Stoves Project is one of the largest programmes of its kind in the world for the dissemination of energy efficient cookstoves. It has been running since 2012 and works alongside the Rwandan Government, the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Environment to reach millions of people across Rwanda.
Reducing emissions and improving livelihoods
With the financial support from the sale of carbon offsets, the project distributes high-quality, efficient cookstoves to rural households. Without the cookstoves, the majority of the population rely on traditional open wood fires for cooking and boiling water, which is not only time consuming, but hazardous to human health, the environment and the climate. To date, 640,000 stoves have been distributed, free of charge, to rural Rwandan households, improving the lives of 3.2 million people.
Partnership for impact generation
“We see our collaboration as a powerful partnership, to which we at DelAgua can bring many years of project expertise. We are pleased to be working with First Climate as a partner with outstanding experience in the voluntary carbon market. Together we can optimize the further development of our project and, with the support of committed companies from all over the world, we can make a positive impact on climate protection as well as helping the people and environment of Rwanda.”
- James Beaumont, CEO DelAgua
DelAgua’s Rwanda Stoves Project fits in perfectly with First Climate’s strategy to secure a stable and reliable supply of emissions reductions from high quality and high impact projects to meet a growing demand for the long term, says First Climate CEO Olaf Bachert.
“The cookstoves bring with them a plethora of direct and indirect benefits for the climate as well as for the families involved in the project. We are excited about our partnership with DelAgua and the potential to enable our clients to contribute to these positive impacts by supporting this outstanding project.”
- Olaf Bachert, CEO First Climate Markets AG
Multiple project benefits
When using the stoves, household air pollution is cut by 73%, which reduces chronic lung disease and improves the health of children. The stoves also support safe access to water, as their efficiency means that water can be boiled easily and quickly. Another major impact of the stoves is the economic benefit to families. The increased efficiency means that the stoves require 50% less wood, meaning for those families who buy their wood, they save, on average, $570 USD throughout the stove’s lifetime. This money can then be invested elsewhere, such as buying more food, educational materials or home improvements, boosting the local economy. Over 4000 staff have also been employed through the project.
“We’re excited to be working alongside DelAgua and their fantastic programme in Rwanda. The Rwanda Stoves Project is an important component of our approach to select very high-quality projects in least developed countries and financially support them through the sale of carbon offsets. We see this as an investment in the future development of market-based climate protection and the voluntary carbon market under the regulations of the Paris Agreement” erklärt Olaf Bachert.
