Large-Scale Kranti Clean Cooking ICS Project advances in Rural India

First Climate reps return to Madhya Pradesh for the verification site visit in Gold Standard energy efficiency climate project

Recently, First Climate project developers visited its large-scale cookstoves project in India for the verification site visit. The project, which First Climate has developed in cooperation with implementation partner, Kosher Climate, has already successfully distributed approximately 50,000 improved cookstoves (ICS) and is currently being audited by an independent third-party body as part of Gold Standard’s (GS) required verification procedures.

Members First Climate and Kosher Climate project teams were on-site for Gold Standard's VVB verification of the Kranti Clean Cooking project in Madhya Pradesh, India. ©First Climate

A team of First Climate experts, Yves Keller and Pablo Carballo Chanfón, joined both the project implementer, Kosher Climate, and the third-party validation and verification body (VVB) during the project’s mandatory verification site visit. These types of visits are key in the verification of carbon projects, as they ensure that the monitored and reported data is accurate.

“We are excited to be on site in Madhya Pradesh to meet with the VVB, partners and stakeholders alike, 1 immediately. This evaluation process is essential for ensuring compliance with GS’s requireents as well as confirming the environmental, health and social impacts of our co-initiative as claimed,” explains Keller.

Image captions (l-r): (1)The Kranti Clean Cooking project location is set in the middle of India in rural Madhya Pradesh county, which loosely translates to "middle state"; (2) an example of a home where the improved cookstove is used indoors; (3) the Earthfit-Arjun is practical for rural life, and significantly cuts cooking times and feature a rust resistant chamber; (4) the sturdy cookstove has an average lifespan of 5-7 years makes it possible for families to cook outside, further reducing the effects of indoor air pollution exposure; (5) Indian boars (Sus scrofa cristatus) roam free on farmlands and are some of the oldest known native to India; (6) women are mainly responsible for cooking, collecting fuel and childcare; (7) a woman skillfully cooks roti bread on an ICS outside; (8) the project region has smallholder farms, which often abut forest areas as shown here; (9) a Kosher team member quietly observes while the VVB interviews the primary cookstove user as part of Gold Standard’s verification process; (10) the VVB inspects an ICS and checks the stove's unique identification number and condition; (11) an ICS uses biomass fuel as energy source and needs up to 60% fuel requirement.

Carballo adds, “The project team is seeing the direct positive impact that this cookstove project is creating. Traditional chulhas are usually built inside homes, where cooking smoke severely deteriorates air quality, leading to high levels of indoor air pollution. In contrast, the improved stoves not only reduce the amount of time and firewood needed to cook, but they also give women the possibility and flexibility to cook outdoors. This, combined with the reduced smoked generated by the ICS, is significantly improving the air quality that families, especially woman and children, breathe during cooking. Observing these impacts firsthand is really encouraging and motivating, as our contributions in bettering family health, quality of life, gender equality, and climate action are clear.”

With this verification site visit completed, First Climate and Kosher Climate will continue to focus mutual efforts on successfully completing the verification process to ensure a successful issuance of the first credits later this year.