Company’s attempt to improve African communities with cookstoves fails to meet promises

C-Quest Capital's program to distribute cleaner cookstoves across Mozambique, intended to reduce emissions and improve lives, has fallen short, with many stoves unused or broken, raising concerns about the credibility of carbon credits generated by the project.

Chico Harlan reports for The Washington Post.

In short:

• C-Quest Capital's cookstove distribution in Mozambique faced issues with stove durability, leading many to revert to traditional cooking methods.
• The company's claims of widespread stove use and resulting carbon credits are questioned due to poor monitoring and inaccurate usage data.
• A shift in company management has revealed potential wrongdoing by the former CEO, leading to the suspension of related carbon credit projects.

Key quote:

“This is clearly not the best they could do.”

— Victoria Jose Arriscado, cookstove recipient in Mozambique

Why this matters:

The failure of projects like C-Quest’s undermines trust in the carbon credit market, a critical tool in global efforts to combat climate change. Poor execution not only fails to deliver promised environmental benefits but can also worsen conditions for the communities they aim to help.

Related:

• Study reveals exaggerated climate impact claims in popular cookstove carbon offset projects
• What do new cookstoves in Ghana and air conditioners in NYC have in common? Energy justice.
• Want more clean energy? Focus on people, not technology