India’s current electric power systems are highly dependent on carbon-intensive fossil fuels, mainly lignite and coal, as the country continues to face rapid growth in population and demand for energy. Feeding additional renewable energy to the electricity grids across India is therefore crucial to mitigate energy related emissions and reduce air pollution emitted by fossil fuel power plants.

With a total installed capacity of 49.5 MW this wind energy project replaces fossil fuel powered power plants and avoids the emission of up to 73,000 tonnes of CO2-equivalent annually.

Thanks to the project activity, local expertise could be built up for the operation of this state-of the-art wind power project. Monitoring and maintenance of the employed technology can now be carried out by the trained, locally employed staff, adhering to strict emergency and safety procedures. Additional employment in the region was created, both during the construction period as well as the ongoing operations of the project. The project has a current workforce of 38 people working directly for the wind park with annual training provided.

This also leads to additional business for stakeholders within the supply chain, including equipment suppliers, O&M contractors, civil work contractors.

Furthermore, the project promotes gender equality and the empowerment of women, as per mandatory requirement of “Gold Standard Gender Equality Guidelines & Requirements”. So far the project developer has committed to raise women in the workforce to 30% in next 2 years, which currently stands just over 10% of total headcount being women.

Registered under both, the United Nations Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) and Gold Standard this program is certified to contribute to the UN sustainable development GOAL 7: Affordable and Clean Energy, GOAL 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth and GOAL 13: Climate Action.

The second greatest source of climate change after the burning of fossil fuels is deforestation. Since 1973, the island of Borneo has reported a loss of over 400,000 hectares (4,000 square kilometers) of rainforest. Since 2000, nearly half of Borneo’s forest depletion is attributable to the oil plantations for which the rainforests across Indonesia have been destroyed.
REDD+ stands for Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation. United Nations REDD+ projects pursue long-term strategies to address the causes of deforestation and forest degradation.

This project has managed to protect 64,500 hectares of carbon-rich peat swamp forests with a high biodiversity in lowland Borneo from the conversion to palm oil plantations surrounding the entire project area.In total, more than 120 threatened and endangered species live in the project area, including the endangered Bornean orangutan.

The project activities prevent the release of 3.5 million metric tons of CO2 equivalents into the atmosphere each year. In addition, local communities are supported by providing training in sustainable agriculture, and biodiversity and wildlife habitat.

The project is accredited by the Voluntary Carbon Standard (VCS) and the Climate, Community & Biodiversity Standards (CCBS). In addition, this project is the first forest conservation project in the world to have its own contribution to the environment, biodiversity and social SDGs independently verified under the newly created Sustainable Development Verified Impact Standard (SD VISta).

Many rural communities in Rwanda have no access to clean drinking water and rely on firewood to cook and sterilize their drinking water. This has far-reaching environmental, social and economic consequences - in addition to the impact on climate change and the associated increase in droughts and extreme weather events.

Access to clean water has numerous positive impacts on local communities: in addition to reduced reliance on firewood, it also leads to a reduction in the smoke-related health risks associated with the use of traditional 3-stone cooking stoves. By reducing the amount of time women spend fetching water, the project also helps improve gender equality.

This project installs new and rehabilitates existing water pumps to provide access to a hygienic and reliable water supply for the rural population, particularly in the arid regions of Rwanda. Other project activities focus heavily on local resident engagement and involvement, and include water quality testing, well maintenance training for local professionals, as well as education regarding the importance of proper sanitation and hygiene to curb the spread of disease and improve community health and well-being.

The project has so far provided 90,000 people with access to 245 million liters of safe drinking water annually, saving approximately 190,000 tons of wood per year that would otherwise be used to sterilize drinking water. This equates to a reduction of 10,000 tons of CO2 equivalent per year.

Registered under the Gold Standard, the program is certified to contribute to the achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, including GOAL 3: Health and Well-Being, GOAL 5: Gender Equality, GOAL 6: Clean Water and Sanitation, and GOAL 13: Climate Action.

Rural communities in Peru are especially vulnerable to the effects of climate change as they depend on seasonal weather patterns to harvest their crops. As an added pressure, these communities often use open-flame stoves as a source of energy. This has a huge impact on the environment and their health. In the highlands of Peru, where temperatures can drop to -5°C in the winter, 60% of households use some type of biofuel. It is important to note that, in these harsh conditions, an open fire stove is often the only source of heat and fuel available in these vulnerable communities. As a result, deforestation and forest degradation have become more prevalent in Peru. Respiratory conditions related to household air pollution have also become more common.

The aim of the project is to improve the wellbeing of rural families in Peru. Through the distribution of improved cookstoves, this project enables a reduction in use of firewood, thereby reducing carbon emissions. Families can enjoy a better quality of life while reducing their environmental impact and helps to improve their livelihoods. The ‘Golden Cookstoves’ Project, known as the ‘Utsil Naj’ Project, is part of an initiative that also sees the installation of dry toilets and setting up the necessary infrastructures to give access to drinking water.

The combined action of these initiatives allows the project to be grounded and adapted to the local context. Indeed, the project is adapted to meet the needs of local communities after analysing the public policies in place and finding possible gaps where our contribution can have an impact.

In addition, maintaining the participation and empowerment of local communities is key to guarantee the long-term success of the project. This is why after more than ten years since the installation of its first cookstove, the project is still having a profound impact in many rural communities.

Central America is one of the regions in the world most affected by climate change. In particular, Honduras is located in the “Dry Corridor”, where extreme weather events have been intensifying with the climate crisis, thus threatening the livelihood and well-being of the communities who live there, mostly farming communities who depend on their crops as a source of income and food. A significant proportion of these same communities still cook on open stoves with biomass. This has a huge impact on the environment and their health. This reality is even more alarming in Honduras where 80% of rural communities use wood for cooking and families congregate close to the smoke from the open flames.

The ‘A Healthy Home for All’ project, known as ‘Utsil Naj’ in Honduras, aims at addressing these challenges in an innovative way. Switching to improved cookstoves reduces the use of firewood and lowers carbon emissions. This dramatically decreases household air pollution, a leading cause to many heart and lung diseases. With the use of improved cookstoves, families can way of life without putting their health or the environment at risk.

In addition to the environmental impacts, the project generates profound social and economic impact on the most vulnerable communities, lowering the risk of respiratory conditions, boosting local employment and reducing the time spent gathering firewood.

This is particularly important in Honduras, where communities face the added threat of organised crime and drug trafficking. Women and young girls are often tasked with gathering firewood, potentially exposing themselves to dangerous situations. By reducing the time they have to spend outside gathering wood, these families are kept safe and can better invest their time in academic or professional activities.