Offsetting to combat global poverty

However, most of the CDM projects to have been registered to date have done little to make any direct impact on poverty and it has even said that the only development test to be applied is that no actual harm is done!!

CarbonAided have taken the view that emission reduction project activities taking place in developing countries should have a definite impact on the poor. The UN Millennium Development Goals (MDG) encapsulate the key development issues of poverty, hunger, health and education. Many of the MDG are intertwined and a typical emission reduction project activity could improve a number of these.

For example, by substituting a clean biogas cooker for an open wood fire, the air in the kitchen is transformed from an un-breathable smog which, according to the World Health Organisation is responsible for the deaths of 1.5 million women and children each year. Not only does this address the health MDG but since the women no longer have to spend hours gathering fuel wood from increasing distances they can become involved in income generating activities to reduce their poverty. Children released from fuel gathering are able to go to school. An improved energy supply also allows food to be cooked in a more healthy way thus reducing hunger. 4 MDGs are thus addressed by this type of project as well as the significant reduction in carbon and other GHG emissions.

Project activities such as these have relied heavily on donations from aid agencies and charities but CarbonAided is working with the finance sector to develop a finance model which will enable project activities to be funded in whole, or at least in part, where without such funding the project activity would simply not happen. Willing buyers of "Offsets" Ð carbon reduction certificates from overseas project activities Ð are keen to support high quality initiatives with strong development benefits.

CarbonAided is a member of the HEDON network which is the largest network dealing with the problems of clean cooking in developing countries. CarbonAided supports their efforts to improve the flow of carbon finance to finance project activities.