Region: Cambodia

Standard:

Cambodia has one of the highest rates of deforestation in the world. And yet 80% of the Cambodian people depend on fuelwood for their daily cooking.

The NGO GERES has been working in Cambodia for over 15 years on how to reduce the amount of wood and charcoal used by Cambodians. One of their solutions is The New Lao Stove. This simple bucket stove has improved insulation and air flow, which reduces charcoal consumption by about 25% compared to a traditional charcoal cookstove. This in turn reduces carbon emissions while improving the lives of the stove users, who spend less time gathering wood, less money for charcoal and are exposed to much less smoke. Over 850,000 New Lao Stoves are now in use in Cambodia.

The carbon savings and associated credits from the New Lao Stove project are verified by the Voluntary Carbon Standard. Geres uses the funds earned from carbon finance to support the development, manufacturing, distribution, and training programs necessary for the growth of the efficient cookstove sector. The New Lao Stoves are sold for roughly $3 and last for 3 years, making them accessible and convenient for the average Cambodian family, and has helped develop a local manufacturing and service industry. This developing world "low tech - clean tech" approach has significant benefits to both people and the planet.

GERES is a member of Nexus, Carbon For Development, an alliance of pro poor project developers whose shared vision is that the carbon market can serve both climate change and poverty alleviation in a sustainable way.